Photographs & Memories
by Squarepeg72
Summary: :Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story.
1. Prologue: Hidden Treasures

**Full Summary:** Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

 _ **Prologue: Hidden Treasures**_

 _Characters_ : Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione

 _Rating:_ T to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

 **Chapter Summary:** The attic had always been a fun place to play but, Rose and Hugo had no idea of the treasures that had been hidden in plain sight. Two battered trunks will open up a whole new story about their famous parents, Ron and Hermione (Granger) Weasely.

* * *

Rose was not looking forward to this task. Losing Dad last year had been hard, but losing Mum, ten months later, had been devastating. She and Hugo had been putting off going up in the attic. Rose knew Dad had stored old inventions and retired items from the shop there, but she had no idea what Mum had put up there over the years. Hugo was supposed to be here in an hour. They had decided to tackle the attic together. Rose could almost hear Mum saying, "Better to face the beast you fear than let it grow bigger in your mind."

Hugo stood like a statue on the doorstep to his parents' home. He did not want to be here. He had taken over most of the running of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes when Uncle George had retired, and Dad had officially handed the keys over to him when he retired a few years later. The last year had been a test for the whole family and this was the final task. All he had to do was open the door and walk into his parents' house. Rose was waiting for him and so was the attic. If he didn't go inside, then it did not have to be real. He could still hear Dad and Uncle Harry laughing in the sitting room as Mum and Aunt Ginny tried to stop crying long enough to find and stop the Aviatomobile that was chasing Crookshanks IV. Turning the knob, Hugo stepped into the sitting room. He could almost hear Dad whispering, "Chin up, son. We don't always have a choice in what we have to do, but we always have a choice in how we do it."

"Hello, Rosie," Hugo called as he walked to the back stairs. "Where are you? I can always come back tomorrow."

"Up here, Huggie," Rose answered. "I'm trying to find some light up here. EWWWW … spider webs!"

"I'm going to get the broom and rags from the kitchen and then I'll be right up," Hugo hollered up the stairs as he headed for the linen closet under the stairs to the attic. "Just like Dad, she can't stand anything that has to do with spiders."

"Hurry up! I think I found Mum's trunk," Rose yelled down the stairs. "You will not believe some of the stuff that is up here. I think I even found Teddy's remember-all."

"On my way," Hugo started to climb the stairs to the attic. "Let me run spider patrol before you get any deeper into the abyss."

Hugo and Rose spent the next two hours sorting through stacks of boxes and making decisions. Four stacks began to take shape in the attic, one for Hugo, one for Rose, one for donation and one full of items to discuss. They had laughed when they found Rose's first invention and cried when they found Dad's favorite scarf on a coat rack tucked in the back corner of the attic. The two biggest items in the "To be discussed" pile were a pair of school trunks with their parents' initials on them. Dad's looked just like he had, a little beat up on the edges, but sturdy where it mattered. Mum's was a reflection of her, carefully repaired scratches that were hard to see unless you were looking for them.

"Let's take a break, little brother," Rose said as she stretched and stood up. " I need food and drink before I fall over. I put some stuff in the fridge when I first got here."

"Sounds good to me, big sister," Hugo joined her in stretching out his body from their sorting positions. "How about I float the trunks down while you fix us something. I'm sure the sitting room will be a better place to explore what they left for us in can deal with the rest of this stuff tomorrow."

"I'm on it. How many sandwiches?" Rose asked as she headed down the stairs. "Or do you want a Weasley Special?"

"Weasley Special," Hugo answered as he started to float the his dad's trunk down to the sitting room. "Dad always out did Mum when it came to sandwiches."

Rose and Hugo settled around the coffee table in the sitting room as they ate their "Weasley Specials" and drank some lemonade. They talked about Saturday mornings at the Burrow and Friday nights playing chess by the fire. They laughed about adventures with their cousins and cried about the family they had slowly been losing. They talked about how life goes on and how the new members of the family shared traits of the ones who had gone before them. "This is what family is about," Rose sighed. "We need to do this more often."

"I am not getting dusty and battling spiders like this again," Hugo shuttered as he gathered up the plates to take to the kitchen sink. "But, getting together to remember and make new memories, I could go for that."

"That sounds like a plan," Rose joined her brother at the sink. "Why don't you float down Mum's trunk while I finish up n here."

"I'm on it," Hugo headed up the stairs to the attic. "See you in the sitting room in a few."

Twenty minutes later, Hugo and Rose sat around their parents' trunks and tried to decide whose trunk to open first. It felt almost like an invasion of privacy to peek into the trunks, but it also felt like a chance to get to know their parents all over again. "Open them at the same time?" Rose asked as she held her wand up to the lock of her mother's trunk.

"Sure,I just hope Dad didn't let Uncle George help him secure his trunk," Hugo closed his eyes as he placed his wand on the lock to his dad's trunk.

"1… 2… 3… _Alohomora_ " Rose and Hugo cast the unlocking spell at the same time. The locks on the trunks opened without a bang or bump. "Time to see our parents' treasures," Rose whispered as she reached for the lid of her mum's trunk.

"Time to hope that our dad was not as big a jokester as his brothers." Hugo replied as he opened the lid of his dad's trunk.

Rose and Hugo breathed sighs of relief when the trunks opened without the appearance of a Fanged Flyer or Portable Swamp. "What's this?" Rose asked as she picked up an envelope from the top of the items in Hermione's trunk. "It's addressed to us."

"There is one in Dad's trunk, too" Hugo voice floated from beneath the lid of Ron's trunk. "I guess we should read them before we dig any deeper in the trunks."

Hugo and Rose took the letters with them and sat beside each other on the couch. "Ladies first …" Hugo pointed to the letter Rose was holding. Rose broke the seal on the back of the envelope and pulled out the letter. She quietly began to read.

" _My darling children,_

 _If you are reading this, I am no longer with you and you are having to make some difficult decisions. I want you both to know how much you were both loved by your father and myself. We are so proud of the paths you chose to take and the journeys you have completed. But, looking to the future must also include looking at the past. This is my Hogwarts trunk. I have kept letters and mementos from my life here, as a time capsule, to be explored after I am gone. Hugo, go get a tissue for your sister. Rose, my tender hearted one, don't let the sadness of the occasion overwhelm the joy of the yourselves get to know us not as your parents but as a witch and a wizard that lived an adventure and found their better halves along the way. We will always be watching from the other side of the Veil._

 _Love, Mum"_

"She certainly knew how to write a letter," Hugo sighed as he handed Rose his handkerchief. "I miss her owls … even her Howlers were proper and perfect."

"Your turn," Rose sniffed as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "What did Dad have to say?"

Hugo pulled the crumpled paper from his unsealed envelope and began to read.

" _My dearest Prickle Pants and Little Terror,_

 _Your mum said I need to put a few thoughts on paper, before we sealed these trunks, to explain why they exist. She is the one that is good with words, not me. But, I will give it a go. I have loved you both since before I knew you existed. The idea of children to carry on our story carried me through some of the darkest times of our Mum and I are so very proud of the paths you have chosen to follow, and we want you to know why we fought so hard for you to choose the path you wanted. We have filled these trunks with pieces of our past. Time to dive in and discover just how human your parents were. Please don't let our mistakes and misadventures change the course of your lives. I promise to keep watch over you even when you cannot see me._

 _Always, Dad"_

"Sounds just like he was in the room with us," Hugo settled back into the couch as he folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. "What exactly did they put in those trunks?"

"I guess it is time to find out," Rose stood up and walked toward Hermione's trunk. "Do we do one trunk at a time or both at the same time?"

"Both," Hugo said thoughtfully. "Mum and Dad wrote the letters together. Knowing her, she meant for them to be gone through together,"

"Let's get to work then," Rose said as she reached for the first bundle of letters. "No time like the present to discover their past …"

 ** _It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight._**

 ** _Vladimir Nabokov_**


	2. Chapter 1: Breaking Up

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

Chapter 1: Breaking Up

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione

Rating: To to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Opening the first packet of letters is eye opening for Rose and Hugo. How could their parents ever have fought enough to break up?

* * *

 _ **Papers pile on every surface**_

 _ **Challenges answered and problems solved**_

 _ **Empty bed her great fear**_

 _ **Waiting for his return**_

Rose and Hugo sat in front of their parents' open trunks. "Wonder what they put in here?" Rose looked at her brother.

"No time like the present to figure it out," Hugo replied and reached into Ron's trunk. He pulled out a bundle wrapped in brown paper and tied with a red string. "This has a 'one' on it. I bet you have one like it in Mum's trunk."

"Found it," Rose pulled the matching bundle out of Hermione's trunk. "Feels like letters or pictures. Let's see. On three, we pull the string … One … Two … Three …"

Each bundle opened to reveal half of a torn picture and letters. "Do these fit together?" Hugo asked as he held up his half. "This looks like Dad when he was an Auror …"

"And this looks like Mum when she started at MLE," Rose said as she held her half up to Hugo's. "Why is the picture torn in two?"

"Maybe the letters have the reason," Hugo said as he opened the first letter in his pile. _"Harry, I don't know how much longer I can do this …"_

 _Ron quietly unlocked the door to their flat. It was late and Hermione should be asleep. She had not been happy when he and Harry had been called in to chase down a pair of Death Easters wreaking havoc in the wilds of Dorset, but that was his job and he was good at it. He hated how she would start to shuffle papers and look anywhere but at him when he told her he had to leave for a case. He knew she worried about him and that the uncertainty and danger involved in his job made it all the worse. Hermione tried to hide her fears but the tears that never quite fell every time he put on his duster said more than she ever could._

 _Hermione was working on her latest report on House Elf reforms when she heard the door open. She looked up the clock on the mantle and noticed that it was after midnight. At least he was home. She was tired of worrying about the risk from his job every time he stepped out of their flat. She thought she had worried enough when he left them for months during the War. He was always fussing about her bringing work home and never having time together, but it was not her fault that she could not concentrate when he was off with Harry. Being in the flat with his smell in the air made it easier to concentrate. That was the reason she had given herself when she had started bringing work home, but now it was habit. It was just easier to work and not worry. Ron tried to hide his displeasure at her constant need to work but, he could not hide the fire in his eyes when he looked at her behind a pile of books every time he walked into the sitting room._

" _Hello, Love," Ron said as he dropped a weary kiss on Hermione's cheek. "Still working on the House Elf study?"_

" _Welcome home, dear," Hermione said, distractedly. "I'm almost done with this report and then I'll be on to bed."_

" _I'm going to take a shower before I lay down," Ron limped towards the bathroom. He hadn't been fast enough to avoid a few stinging curses when they were capturing the pair of Death Eaters they had been chasing for a week. "Join me soon … please. You look worn out."_

" _I'll be there soon," Hermione said as she focused on the draft of the report in front of her. "Just a few more edits and I'll be done for the night."_

 _Ron stepped into the bathroom and slowly removed his battle worn clothes. The hot spray of the shower called to him. Stepping under the spray, he let the hot water wash away the stress of the last week. When the water started to run cold, Ron got out of the shower and toweled off. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he headed for their bedroom … and an empty bed. She was still working. "Why am I not surprised," Ron muttered as he collapsed into the bed. "All I want is a warm shower, a warm bed and her curled up beside me. No such luck tonight."_

 _Ron reached across the bed to find it empty. The sun was up and he was pretty sure it was Saturday so Hermione should be beside him. But, she wasn't. He stumbled to the closet and grabbed a pair of joggers. Pulling them on as he left the bedroom, Ron made his way to the sitting room. Hermione was asleep in the couch with a quill in her hand. "You are going to burn yourself out if you keep this up, love," Ron murmured as he took the quill from her hand. "No witch or wizard was meant to run on no sleep." He carefully laid her papers to the side and picked her up. "Off to bed with you, my love."_

 _Ron laid Hermione in their bed and pulled the covers over her. "Sleep, please, love. I worry when you do this." Ron kissed her forehead and headed for the kitchen. "Time to make some tea and food. Let's hope she sleeps for a while."_

 _Three hours later, Hermione wobbled into the kitchen and Ron handed her a cup of tea. "Did you get enough sleep, love?" Ron asked as she sipped her tea._

" _I guess so," Hermione answered. "I need to get back to my report. Kingsley wants it first thing Monday morning and I still have research to do."_

" _Mione, this is the first Saturday in a month we have both been home. Can't work wait?" Ron asked as he looked over the top of his tea cup. "I was hoping to spend some time with you without work."_

" _Ronald, you know how important this is to me," Hermione sighed as she sat at the table. "If I can get this House Elf problem sorted out to everyone's satisfaction, we will have some time to spend together."_

" _That's what you said six months ago and a year ago," Ron slumped his shoulders as he met her eyes with his. "It will never be over as long as you obsess over it. Take a day with me."_

" _I can't…" Hermione started to lay out her reasons why she had to keep working only to be interrupted._

" _Can't or won't?" Ron asked quietly. "We always have choices, Mione. I was just wondering when you were going to choose me."_

 _Ron stood up and walked to the sitting room. As he turned back to the kitchen, he said, "If you are going to work all day, I'm going to the Burrow to see Mum and Dad. They worry when Harry and I take on tough assignments and she always has to check to see if I am in one piece. Which I am, by the way. A couple of scratches and bruises that should heal in a day or two, but you would have to look at me to notice."_

 _Hermione's jaw dropped as he entered the Floo. "The Burrow" echoed in her head as the tears started to roll down her cheeks. Had she really just heard that? Had he just said that his mum cared for him more than she did because she had not checked him for injuries when he came in last night? She did remember seeing him limp to the bathroom as she looked up from her paperwork, but he seemed to be walking fine this morning. He always limped when he was tired, didn't he?_

Hugo looked up from the pile of letters he had been reading to Rose. "This doesn't sound like Mum at all. How could the witch that worked herself to exhaustion be the same person that raised us?"

"I don't know. These letters don't 'sound anything like the Mum we knew. I wonder what she had to say about it?" Rose picked up the first letter in her pile. _"Ginny, Everything seems to be falling apart …_

 _Hermione stared at the Floo for hours. She could not believe that Ron had just walked away from her. She had tried to work on her report but the words seemed to run together and her thoughts were scattered. Ron would be home soon and they could talk this out. She went to the kitchen a made another cup of tea. Had she really let her work take over everything?_

 _Hermione looked up as she heard the whoosh of someone using the Floo. Ron wandered into the kitchen and sat at the table. "Did you get much work done?" he asked as she poured him a cup of tea. "I think we need to talk."_

" _What is there to talk about?" Hermione asked as she held her teacup up to her lips. "You went to your parents for the day and I stared at an empty Floo instead of getting anything done."_

" _There is everything to talk about," Ron sighed and put his empty cup on the table. "You are burying yourself so deeply in your work that I can't find you anymore."_

" _What else am I supposed to do," Hermione's voice rose as Ron got up from the table. "Stare at the Floo and wait for you to come back in pieces?"_

" _No, but you could stop working long enough to see if I came back whole." Ron stomped into the sitting room, "Or at least act concerned when I limp across the room."_

" _I am concerned about you. I can't breathe when you walk into the Floo with Harry," Hermione yelled at Ron's retreating figure. "I spend days waiting to see you come home. Knowing what you are fighting and how many times I have almost lost you, what else am I supposed to do. I have to work to function. If I didn't have my work, I would lose my mind waiting for you to get home."_

" _But, can you give up your work to greet me, to welcome me home, to check to see if I am in one piece," Ron yelled back. "Last night you didn't even look up. You sat there surrounded by your fortress of books and kept on working."_

" _I was in the middle of editing an important report," Hermione began to defend herself. "I had to finish the thought before I lost it."_

" _So it took you more than 30 minutes to finish editing three sentences," Ron's words pushed at her buttons. "I saw what you were working on when I carried you to bed this morning. It is the same bloody report you were working on last weekend, when you said you could not come with me to the park for a walk before I left with Harry for this assignment."_

" _I don't know how bloody long it took," Hermione tossed her hair as she let her frustrations loose. "I just know it had to be done. I have to get this done. I have to make sure things are done right."_

" _So, you sacrifice everything for your need for perfection," Ron sagged on the couch. "You will give up sleep and people and life to make sure something is perfect. It doesn't work that way, Mione. The world is not perfect. People are not perfect. Bad things will always happen."_

" _But, if I can keep this one bad thing from happening again," Hermione paced in front of the fireplace. "I have to fix this. There has to be a reason why I am good at research. I have to have a purpose. This feels right."_

" _But, if you lose the people that love you," Ron sighed and slumped deeper into the couch. "Is it worth the sacrifice? Is it worth the price you are going to pay? Will fixing this one wrong to the detriment of the rest of your life fill the empty space in your gut? Because it is killing me to watch you kill yourself with this work."_

" _And, what about you?" Hermione asked as she settled into the chair across from Ron. "Running off to fight every shadow. What happens when there are no more shadows to chase? When the only thing you are chasing is memories? You are always running into a fight without thinking of what you are running away from. Because, I die a little every time you step out the door."_

" _I am not going to do this forever," Ron huffed as he leaned forward. "I never go in alone and I always research the situation. What about you? What is your ten-year plan and where do I fit in it?"_

" _I don't know," Hermione reached for Ron's hand. "I can't say what is next. I just know I need to fix this now. I have been working on this too long to hand it over now. I need to finish it."_

" _And, that is the problem," Ron dropped her hand and stood up. "You can't see beyond what is in front of you. I love you and I thought I could do this, but I can't. I can't wait for you to see me anymore."_

" _What are you saying?" Hermione stared at him as Ron walked to the Floo. "I see you everywhere, even with my eyes closed. Sometimes, I can't see anything but you."_

" _You could have bloody fooled me," Ron whispered as he stepped into the Floo. "I am tired of waiting for your outside to reflect the inside. I need to figure somethings out and I think you do too. I'll be back later for my things… The Burrow."_

 _Ron disappeared in a puff of green smoke, taking Hermione's heart with him. She never thought he would do it again. That he would walk away from her. That he would leave her empty._

 _ **Scars accumulate on his body**_

 _ **Challenges answered and problems solved**_

 _ **Empty chair his greatest fear**_

 _ **Waiting for her attention**_

Hugo and Rose stared at the letters scattered before them. "Wow, I had no idea they fought like that," Rose sifted through her stack to the torn picture. "I knew Dad had a temper, but I never would have thought Mum could get that wrapped up in her work."

"They were always such a solid team when we were growing up," Hugo looked down at the next letter in his stack. "I could never imagine crack so big in their relationship that Dad would walk away and Mum would let him."

"I don't know if I want to read any more of these letters," Rose stuttered as she leafed through to the next unread letter. "It is almost too painful to see."

"I'll go first this time, Rosie," Hugo said as he took a deep breath and began to read the last letter in his packet. _"Hermione, I know you are hurt and upset, but so am I…"_

 _Hermione stared at the letter Ron had left on her pillow. She didn't think he was serious when he had Floo'd to the Burrow last weekend. She waited for him to come home. She left work early and waited for him the come home. But, Ron was not coming home. He had come to the flat while she was out with Ginny and packed up all his things. Every sound was different now. The flat echoed with silence._

 _Ginny was worried. Harry was worried. Molly and Arthur were worried. Hell, even Theo had owled to check on her. Everyone keep sending owls to check on Hermione. Hermione was trying to function but it was not working. She had finally given up and locked herself in the flat for the weekend. She had spent Friday night crying over a knight she had found under her pillow. Ron had tucked it there a year ago and she always put it back when she changed the sheets. It was his way of reminding her he was coming home, coming back to her. It took about five minutes to realize that it was a black knight, not the white one. He really wasn't coming back._

 _Hermione spent Saturday trying to work. Trying being the operative word. After three hours of staring at wavy letters on a blurry page, Hermione gave up and crawled back into bed. The questions Ron had asked her in their last fight kept circling in her head. Had she really shut him out and buried her fears in her obsession with her work? Was he right about her using work to keep for thinking about her personal demons? The questions circled in her head as the tears streamed down her face. She need to figure this out. She need to figure out how she had gotten so lost._

 _On Sunday, Hermione decided she had cried enough. She showered and got dressed. She sat at the table and had toast and tea. She sent an owl to Ginny and got ready to leave the flat. But an hour later she was still staring at the Floo. She had tried to head for the Leaky Cauldron. She stood in the Floo with a handful of powder … and she said nothing. She did nothing. She just stood there and wished that Ron wasn't right, wished that he had not seen through her need to work and found her fear. Hermione stood frozen in the Floo realizing that she had never left the trauma of the War and the loss of friends behind. When she could finally drag herself out of the Floo, she owled Ginny again and canceled their plans. She need to talk to someone that was not in the middle of the issue. It was time to get some help dealing with things she had buried under work._

 _Monday morning, Hermione woke up and Floo'd to St. Mungos. She found a Healer that worked with survivors of the Battle of Hogwarts and decided to figure out the answers to the questions Ron had asked her as he walked out of her life. She needed to figure this out. She needed to find out who she was again._

Rose wiped away tears as she listened to Hugo finish reading their dad's letter to their mum. "How did he do that? How did he find the strength to walk away from her when he was breaking his own heart?" she whispered.

"Maybe the answer is in Mum's letter," Hugo hugged Rose and handed her to only unread letter in her stack. "They left these here for a reason."

"I know you're right, little brother," Rose sighed. _"Ronald, I know you were trying to tell me I was breaking your heart and I was too stubborn to listen …"_

 _Ron stared at the letter Pig had delivered earlier that evening. He had been looking through the Muggle ads for a flat to rent. He could not continue to live at the Burrow. Mum was hovering and Dad was asking him when he was going home. But, there was no home to go to. He had barely survived packing up his belongings in their flat and he knew he should not have left that knight. But knowing what he should not do and what he ended up doing were very different things._

 _Ron was lucky that work was light last week. He had spent most of his time buried in a bottle of firewhiskey. He had not spent that much time plastered since the year after the War. Harry was starting to worry. Neville was worried, Bloody hell, even Malfoy had owled to check on him. Just because he had not shaved in a week and wasn't exactly steady when he got to the office was not a reason to worry. He had just left his heart in their flat and his chest was empty and hollow. He need to get his act together and figure his next step._

 _Step one was done on Tuesday. Ron found a flat above_ _Gambol and Japes. It wasn't the fanciest of places but it came with furniture and he only looking for a place to lay his head and keep his clothes. Why bother to decorate when he only slept there. He brought all his stuff from there flat and shoved it in a closet. No point in dwelling on what he could not change. He was tired of fighting._

 _On Wednesday, Ron stopped drowning himself in firewhiskey. Step two accomplished. He decided to figure out what her really wanted and where he really wanted to go. He sent Malfoy a request for two weeks off and made arrangements to portkey to Romania. Charlie was looking for some help with a few new dragons and Ron need to do something besides think about her. Romania sounded like a good place to go to not think._

 _Thursday morning, Ron picked up his portkey and crashed on his brother's couch. Two weeks to forget that he was not with the witch he loved beyond forever. Fourteen days to figure out what he wanted to do next. More than three hundred hours to mend the hole in his chest and move on. He could do that … maybe …_

"How did they ever find their way back?" Rose asked her brother. "How did they get so broken? How are we even here?'

" _ **Sometimes two people have to fall apart, to realize how much they needed to fall back together."**_

 _ **Colleen Hoover**_


	3. Chapter 2: Separate Lives

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

Chapter 2: Separate Lives

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Pansy, Hermione x Theo

Rating: To to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Hugo and Rose are almost afraid to open up the next set of letters. If the first set broke them apart, what will the next set do?

* * *

 _ **Scars fade on his body**_

 _ **Questions asked and answers found**_

 _ **New work his greatest adventure**_

 _ **Moving forward without her**_

Rose and Hugo had decided to take a break from what they had discovered in the trunks. Finding out that their parents had not always gotten along was a surprise. Reading that how their Mum had worked herself into a corner and their dad had finally given up and walked away was shocking.

"Mum and Dad always seemed to be on the same level with everything,' Hugo sighed and handed Rose a cup of tea. "I never would have imagined either of them fighting or walking away."

"Me either," Rose said thoughtfully. "Mum always seemed to be able to balance her Ministry work with the rest of our lives and Dad was always there for all of us."

"So do we really want to see what is in the next bundle?" Hugo asked as they settled into the floor in front of the trunks. "Do we keep going or wait a day?"

"Well, we know the end of the story," Rose sighed as she reached for the bundle from Ron's trunk wrapped in a green ribbon and labeled with a two. "No time like now to find out the in between."

"Here's to discovering more about your parents," Hugo reached for the bundles labeled the same and wrapped with a similar green ribbon. "Who's reading first this time."

"I'll go," Rose opened the first envelope. _"Hello Charlie, Thank you for letting hang out with your dragons for the last few weeks …"_

 _While he was in Romania visiting Charlie, Ron had thought about a lot of different things. Did he really want to risk life and limb for the next twenty years as an Auror? Could he come home to the fear in his loved ones' eyes? The answer was simple. No, he could not. So he had made his decisions. He was going to work with George and find some balance in his life._

 _Ron looked around the flat he had rented in Diagon Alley. It wasn't home, but it would do. It wasn't like he spent much time there anyway. He and Harry were heading out in the morning to chase down leads on a couple of Death Eaters that had escaped the last round up and were causing a fuss in Dorset. Harry didn't know it yet but this would be his last assignment with the Aurors. His letter of resignation was in his coat pocket and his heart was lighter than it has been in years. He was going to work with George and see what they could do with his brothers' dream._

 _He was tired of the danger and just wanted to rest. Harry could have the adventure if his little sister could live with the risk. Listening to Hermione fall apart as she spoke about watching his walk out of the flat for each assignment, had struck a chord with him. He had never thought of how things looked to the ones he loved when he took on dangerous tasks. So he was done with dangerous tasks._

 _Now all he had to do, was figure out what to do with his personal life. Did he go back to Hermione or try to move on? Or did he just stay single for a while and see what the future held. He would think about it when he got home. Right now, he had to figure out how to tell his best mate that he wasn't going to work with him anymore. This was not going to be a fun conversation._

"Wow, I didn't know that was why Dad left the Aurors," Rose said as she set down Ron's letter. "He always seemed to have fond memories his time with them. I had no idea that he left because of Mum."

"I guess we are learning a whole lot more than we thought we would," Hugo opened his mum's letter. _"Dearest Luna, How can I thank you enough for your help over the last few weeks …"_

 _While she was trying to figure out what had gone wrong, Hermione spent some time not at work. She took some days and went to visit Luna. For as flighty as she seemed to be, Luna was wise in her flightlyness. They talked about how much time she was spending on work and how much time she had actually taken to be with the people she cared about. Hermione had some tough decisions to make. But she was ready to make them._

 _Hermione looked around her half empty flat. It seemed a much hollower place now that she was the only one that lived here. During her visit with Luna, she had decided on a fresh start. She was going to move when the lease on this flat was up and she was going to start leaving work at work. She needed to talk to her MLE supervisor on Monday morning about shifting some of her cases to younger people in the department. Ron was right, she was trying to bury her fear in her work and it had cost her what she treasured most - him. She was determined to keep her weekly appointment with the mental health Healer and work on finding herself again._

 _Hermione had also decided to spend some time single. She knew her heart was a little battered right now and she was making enough changes without adding someone else to the picture. One challenge at a time, her mum had always advised. So, Hermione's current challenge was finding a way to balance her need for work and righting wrongs with her need for a life beyond work. Dragging someone else into her emotional tornado did not seem like a good idea. Besides, she still need to figure out how she felt about Ron. They had slipped from good friends to lovers so easily, Hermione was beginning to wonder if she had loved him for himself or for the ease of the relationship. She still had so much to sort out._

 _Hermione looked at the clock above the stove. Now was the time for step one in her new stage of life, tea with friends on Saturday. Ginny was waiting for her in Diagon Alley and they had so much to talk about. Ground rules had been set - no talk about work or "the boys". Just enjoying time as friends and sisters of the heart._

"I had never thought about the fact that Mum and Dad started dating after the War," Hugo said as he set down the letter. "I guess this makes sense. But, if they broke up because their jobs came between them, how did they end up back together?"

 _ **Papers disappear from every surface**_

 _ **Questions asked and answers found**_

 _ **New paths her greatest adventure**_

 _ **Moving forward without him**_

Hugo and Rose continued to look through their second bundles. More letters and some pictures of their parents around London without each other were passed between them.

"I recognize Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny in this picture, but who is the dark headed guy holding Mum's hand in this one?" asked as he handed the picture to his sister. "It looks a little like Mr. Nott from the Minister's offices, but that can't be. He married Mr. Zambini from their solicitor's office."

"Check the back of the picture," Rose said as she flipped over another picture. "This one says, 'Ron & Pansy". That can't be Aunt Pansy. But that would explain why family gathering could be awkward."

"Maybe there are clues in the letters they were folded in," Hugo said as he handed another picture to Rose. "What does the letter say for that picture?"

"Good question, little brother," Rose started to scan the letter the picture had come from. _"Pansy, It was great getting to spend time with you last night …"_

 _Ron was surprised at how good a time he was having. He never would have expected a Slytherin girl to grab his attention but, Pansy was very charming. They had run into each other on the sidewalk outside her shop and started to talk. Talking had led to coffee which had led to his first date in years. At least, a date where the other person in the couple wasn't Hermione. Pansy's dark eyes sparkled as she teased him about the way his face had turned as red as his hair when he had asked her to dinner. It was nice to spend time with someone who had a different set of memories from their time at Hogwarts and the chaos that was the year of the War._

" _Ronald, are you paying any attention to what I am saying?" Pansy asked as she touched his arm. "You looked like you were a million miles away."_

" _Sorry, Pansy," Ron replied as he focused back on the space he was in. "I was thinking about how different things were when we first met. I never would have seen myself here during our school years."_

" _I would never have gone near you," Pansy placed her hand on his arm as she leaned in to kiss him. "Too much red and gold in your wardrobe. But we have both grown up and the world is a different place."_

" _I'm glad things have changed," Ron whispered against Pansy's lips. "I can't imagine wanting to be anywhere else right now."_

" _Why, Mr. Weasley," Pansy slipped her hand into Ron's under the table. "I'd say you are looking for some adventure. Or at least someone to share a walk with,"_

" _Definitely someone to share a walk with," Ron reluctantly let go of Pansy's hand as he stood from the table. "Care to join me for a stroll in the park? I understand the fireflies have been putting on a show nightly this week."_

" _Lead on," Pansy stood and took Ron's offered hand. "I've never been to the park to watch bugs. This could be interesting."_

 _Ron and Pansy walked along the sidewalk towards Hyde Park. Her hand felt small in his. Ron let his mind wander to the possibilities. Maybe he could find life, and a new love, tonight._

"No wonder Uncle Charlie and Dad fussed sometimes," Hugo said as he looked for the letter the picture he was holding had come from. "They both dated Aunt Pansy. I wonder how long it lasted?"

"Does it really matter?" Rose asked. "Mum ended up with Dad and Aunt Pansy ended up with Uncle Charlie. They all seemed happy as we were growing up."

"So true," Hugo replied as he found the letter he was looking for. _"Darling Theodore, Thank you for a wonderful evening …"_

 _Hermione had never expected to find love at the office. But what you expect and what you get are never the same thing. It has started out with coffee in the courtyard of the Ministry and had ended up with an invitation to dinner at one of her favorite Muggle restaurants._

 _Theo arrived at her door with flowers and a sheepish grin. "Hey, Mione. You ready to see the town?"_

" _As long as you are walking with me," Hermione took the flowers from Theo and walked to the kitchen. "Let me get these in water and then I'll be ready."_

" _Take your time," Theo said as he settled on the couch. "I'm early and we have about an hour before our reservation. I figured we would apparate close and then walk."_

 _Hermione hummed as she arranged the flowers in a vase. "Sounds good. Do I need a coat?"_

" _I don't think so," Theo answered. "There is a light breeze but the stars are out. We won't walk for long before dinner."_

 _Theo and Hermione enjoyed a quiet walk to each apparition point and to the restaurant. Dinner conversation involved school stories and quiet laughter. "So, Mione," Theo asked. "Why have I seen you in the Commons more often lately?"  
_

" _I decided to start taking breaks and walking away from my office from time to time," Hermione answered. "I discovered the tea shop and I have made it a point to spend at least thirty minutes a day there. It seems to help me focus and I get more done than if I don't take the time."_

" _Why the change," Theo continued to watch her as he asked his questions. "Last year, we could find you in your office almost any time of day or night."_

" _I let my personal life crumble because I could not take a break from work," Hermione answered honestly. "After it crumbled, I spent some time thinking about the questions he asked me as he walked out, and I didn't like the answers. So, I decided to change some things … and here we are."_

" _I hate that it took your world crumbling to make a change," Theo said as he reached for her hand across the table. "But, I'm glad I've gotten the chance to get to know this Hermione."_

" _Me, too," Hermione twined her fingers. "Let's go. I feel the need for a walk under the stars."_

" _Sounds good to me," Theo reached for the check. "Let's go."_

 _Theo and Hermione strolled through St. James Park as they watched the stars move through the sky. Hermione was content. For the first time in years, Hermione left work at work and enjoyed herself. This could be the start of something amazing._

Rose and Hugo settled the letters into their laps and looked at each other. Rose held up the picture of Ron and Pansy, while Hugo held up the picture of Hermione and Theo. Then, they began to laugh.

"What was Mum thinking?" Hugo wiped a tear from his eye. "I guess we will never know all of it, but this is actually funny. Mum and Dad went so the opposite of each other when they dated other people."

"What was Dad thinking?" Rose continued to giggle. "Aunt Pansy and Mr. Nott are so not what I would have expected from either of them. But, I am glad that they found some peace when they were not together."

Hugo stood and held his hand out to his sister. "Come on, Rosie. Time to head home to our families and share what we found. The other bundles can wait until tomorrow."

" _ **You'll never be able to find yourself if you're lost in someone else."**_

 _ **Colleen Hoover**_


	4. Chapter 3: Friends

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

Chapter 3: Friends

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Pansy, Hermione x Theo

Rating: To to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Another day, another stack of letter. What will Hugo and Rose find out about their parents this time? Can Ron and Hermione learn to be friends again or is everything broken?

* * *

 _ **Papers melt into the background**_

 _ **Steps taken and paths chosen**_

 _ **Finding balance her greatest adventure**_

 _ **Finding a life without him**_

Hugo was up early the next morning. He was surprised at what they had learned from the letters he and Rose had found in their parents' trunks. He was curious to see what they would find today. But, he was also a little scared. The people he grew up with were different from the people they were finding in memories in those trunks. Life is full of surprises.

Rose hurried to get back to her parents' house. She and Hugo had made some interesting discovers yesterday and there were still more bundles to unpack. Rose had trouble imagining a time when her parents were not together. Seeing them date other people was an otherworldly experience. But, like Mum had always said, you learn something new every day. Wonder what she and Hugo would learn today.

Hugo stepped into the sitting room and stared at the trunks in the middle of the room. His parents had created an interesting time capsule for their family to discover. He went into the kitchen and turned on the kettle. No sense in tackling the next bundle without a cup of tea.

Rose walked into the kitchen and set a tin of biscuits on the table." I figured we could use these later. Reading about Mum and Dad's life before us has been very interesting."

"That is one way of putting it," Hugo handed his sister a few cup of tea. "Let's relax for a few minutes before we go back to the trunks. I am still trying to figure out how Dad had the courage to walk away from Mum and the Aurors."

"I think it was more a case of his sanity versus his heart when he walked away," Rose said, sipping on her tea. "It sounds like they loved each other but they got so wrapped up in their jobs and risks for each of them that they lost themselves."

"Isn't that a lesson they let us learn?" Hugo asked as he put his teacup in the sink. "I remember Dad telling me that there were more important things than work and that listening to the people around was more important than talking to them."

"Mom said something like that to me as I got on the Hogwarts Express for the first time," Rose sighed and walked towards the sitting room. "Time to look at the next bundle."

"Mum and Dad had way too much fun putting this together," Hugo chuckled as he joined Rose in the sitting room. "I can imagine them sitting side by side and picking out pieces that went together to tell this story."

"They may have picked them out together," Rose smiled as she picked up the bundle with a bold "3" and gold ribbon from Hermione's trunk. "But, the way they are organized has Mum's fingerprints all over it."

"I think your right, Rosie," Hugo reached in Ron's trunk and grabbed the matching bundle. "Dad was never known for organizing anything in a way that anybody but him could understand."

Rose settled on to the floor and opened her bundle. "Look at this, Huggie. Mum and Theo with Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry. It looks like a party at the Burrow."

"Look at the back," Hugo said as he turned over the photograph in his hand. "My bundle has a picture of Dad and Aunt Pansy with Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry at the Burrow. It says 'Mum's birthday … What was Ginny thinking?'."

"Mine says, 'Mum's birthday … I'm going to kill Harry.'," Rose giggled as she set down the picture and pick up the first letter. _"Ginny Weasley, What were you thinking …"_

 _Hermione looked across the room at Ron and his date. It had been months since they split, but it still felt strange to be at the Burrow with someone besides Ron. "Sickle for your thoughts, Mione," Theo whispered in her ear as he tucked her into his shoulder._

" _It feels strange to be here and not be part of 'Ron and Hermione'," Hermione answered with a sigh. "I am so glad you came with me. I am glad I have gotten to know you better and I know this is where I want to be. But, it still feels strange."_

" _I can understand that,' Theo looked at Hermione as he touched her chin with his finger. "But, we are here together and he is here with … PANSY?! That's a new twist."_

" _I know. I was expecting Lavender Brown, to be honest," Hermione smirked as she tried not to laugh._

" _I glad it is Pansy and not Lavender," Theo cringed at the thought. "I can live the rest of my life never hearing Weasley called "Won won", I promise."_

 _Theo and Hermione spent a few minutes laughing over the memories of Ron and Lavender when they were students. "I guess we should make Molly happy and go talk to them'" Hermione grabbed Theo's hand and started across the room._

" _No need to disappoint the guest of honor," Theo chuckled as he followed in Hermione's wake. "I can be nice to a Weasley for a little while."_

 _Hermione kissed Molly on the check and then dragged Theo over to the cake table. She had thought they would run into Ron and Pansy there, but they were nowhere to be seen._

"Leave it up to Gran to make a reason for them to be in the same space," Hugo laughed as he listened to Rose read then end of his mother's letter to Aunt Ginny. "Sneaky thing, that she was. And Mum and Dad blamed Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry."

"They sure did," Rose answered with a laugh of her own. "Gran always seemed to know when to push and when to sit back. And how to get other people to do her dirty work."

"Dad always warned up not to say 'Yes" to her until we knew the whole task," Hugo picked up the first letter in his bundle and began to read. _"Mate, What did you let Mum talk you into …"_

 _Ron looked across the room as the door opened. He was surprised to see Hermione walk in with Theo Nott. He had heard she was dating, but he hadn't heard who she was dating. It felt strange to be at his parents' house and not have her by his side. But, they had both made choices and they were both moving on._

" _Earth to Ron," Pansy waved her hand in front of his face. "What's got you looking lost? It is almost time for cake."_

" _I wasn't expecting her to be here," Ron gulped as he pointed across the room. "With a date. Harry said she had been invited, but I didn't think she would come."_

" _So what if Hermione is here," Pansy said as she scanned the room. "Oh, there she is and she is with … THEO NOTT?! I never would have figured him to leave the office."_

" _Nott? He's not so bad," Ron mused as he lead Pansy to the cake. "I was expecting Draco, to be honest. They had that 'Love to hate you' thing going on for years at school."_

" _Draco is too wrapped up in making a good name for himself right now," Pansy said as she picked up a slice of cake from the table. "I think he works more hours than Hermione ever thought about working. Rumor is, he is courting Astoria, but I don't see how. He spends twelve hours a day locked up in his office."_

" _He needs to be careful," Ron said thoughtfully. "Working that much will send you down a path that is dark and empty. It is part of the reason I left the Aurors to join George. It is also why I could not keep watching Hermione self-destruct."_

" _No more talk of self-destruction or work, "Pansy whispered in Ron's ear. "I hear your mum has kept your room just the way you left it. Care to show me if that rumor is true?"_

 _Ron and Pansy slipped up the stairs. Ron gave Pansy a tour of his old room including a snog or two on his bed._

"Gran was a sneaky woman," Hugo sighed as he put down the letter he had been reading. "I can remember Dad telling stories of getting howlers and letters from her. You never wanted to be on her bad side or be in a situation that she thought needed to be fixed."

"Mum always said that Gran was the person to get things done," Rose reached for the next letter in her bundle. "I guess Gran decided that Mum and Dad were in a situation that need to be fixed.

 _ **Scars disappear into his memory**_

 _ **Steps taken and paths chosen**_

 _ **Finding peace his greatest adventure**_

 _ **Finding a life without her**_

Hugo set down his stack of letters and stood up. "Care for a snack? Reading about Mum and Dad's love lives is making me hungry."

"It is not making you hungry," Rose sighed as she walked Hugo walk out of the room. "You are always hungry. Mum used to swear that you were going to eat them out of house and home."

"Not my fault I have a fast metabolism," Hugo muttered from the kitchen. "Any requests while I am in here? I'm bringing back the tin of biscuits."

"Just some water to go with the biscuits," Rose's voice floated up from inside Hermione's trunk. "I'm beginning to wonder if Mum spelled these trunks like she did her bag."

"Dad always said Mum's beaded bag was a modern marvel," Hugo returned to the living room floating a tray of drinks and biscuits. "I don't think I can ever remember a trip that we took without that bag. I think Mum could have pulled another house out of the bag if we had needed it."

"If she had," Rose giggled, "Dad would not have been surprised. He always said felt better if her bag was ready for anything."

Rose and Hugo settled back into the floor in front of the trunks. Pictures and letters from the current bundle were scattered around them. It was strange to see their parents with other people but, it was nice to see both of them smiling.

"Mum looks so pretty when she smiles," Hugo said as he watched a true smile spread across Hermione's face in the picture he was holding. "This picture was in my bundle from Dad's trunk. That seems odd"

"Check the back," Rose said as she picked up a picture of Ron from her bundle. "This one says, 'Forever your friend, Ron.' I guess they went through a time when they weren't talking."

"Which would explain Gran's trickery," Hugo flipped over his picture. "Well, that explains a lot. 'I promise not to let work swallow me up again. Thank you for reminding me that life is more than work'."

"It is strange to think of Mum letting work take over everything," Rose mumbled as she opened the next letter in her bundle. _"Hello Ron, It has been a while since we talked …"_

 _Hermione looked at the letter she had just sealed. It was her apology to Ron for her part in the fall of their relationship. She had done a lot of thinking in the time since they fell apart and Hermione had discovered some hard truths about herself. She liked to work but, she need to leave work at work and spend some time with people who cared for her. Deciding to be a good friend, instead of an absent one, had mended bridges she did not even realize were crumbling. That was the true blessing of her failed relationship._

 _Hermione handed the letter to Pigwidgen and whispered in his feathers. "Go find Ron and stay with him. He needs you more than me right now. Thank you for your loyalty."_

 _Hermione watched the small owl fly out the window and took a deep breath. Seeing Ron with Pansy at Molly's birthday party had shaken her. She was happy in her relationship with Theo, but she still felt like she was missing something. She was finally spending time with Ginny and Luna and she making an effort to get to know Pansy. Molly had looked at her during the party and said, "You will always be family, dear. Just because my knuckle head of a son says otherwise, does not mean it is true. You will always be welcome at the Burrow."_

 _Hermione took a few minutes by herself after that conversation with Molly. Theo would have asked her why she was crying and she wasn't sure if she had an answer for that. Hermione had worried that the end of her relationship with Ron had ended her relationship with the rest of the Weasley clan. The letter to Ron was her way of dealing with the hurt that they had caused each other with their last fight. It was also her way of starting to find her way back the friends that they had always been. Just because they were not a couple did not mean they could not be friends. She felt less hollow as she watched Pig fly away. Less hollow, but still hollow._

 _Hermione was beginning to question her relationship with Theo. He was a good friend and a steady companion, but the spark that had run through her relationship with Ron was missing. Maybe, it was time to have a different kind of conversation with Theo. She was still figuring out who she was and who she wanted to be._

Rose laid down the letter and picked up another picture of Hermione and Theo. "Look at Mum," she said as she held the picture up for Hugo to see. "She has that questioning look on her face."

"You mean the one that scared us as children?" Hugo asked. "The one that said Mum had started to figure out what we had done and she was just trying to put the last few pieces into place."

"That would be the one," Rose answered. "She is looking between Dad and Theo. I wonder what was going through her head?"

"That's a good question," Hugo studied the picture in his hands closely. "She sent an apology to Dad. I wonder why."

"Probably for the same reason Dad brought her flowers the first week of May every year," Rose looked at the letters piled around her. "They each had things they needed to do to clear the air between them. Mum always wrote down everything to work it out, so writing an apology would make sense."

"Looks like Dad wrote one, too," Hugo said as he held up his next letter. _"My dear Hermione, I have started this letter more times than I can count …"_

 _Ron stared out the open window as he thought over what Hermione had sent him. He never expected her to apologize because they had both played a role in the fall of their relationship. Frustrated, he crumpled up the paper in his hand. Ron had been trying to write this letter to Hermione since he received hers last week. But, the words were not flowing. Well, there were words on the page but they didn't make sense. Hermione had always been the one who was good with words. He was good at a chess board or in the back room of the shop, inventing new things. He need to get this done._

 _Pigwidgen gilded over and landed on Ron's shoulder. "I know, mate," He said as he scratched the small owl under his chin. "I need to get this letter written so you can go see her again. She told you to stay with me, didn't she?"_

 _Ron moved back to his desk and grabbed a fresh piece of parchment. "Okay, Pig. I have to get this done. Just get the words on the page and then let you take it to her."_

 _Ron spent the next hour pouring his heart out on to the page. It was not eloquent but it was him. It was an apology for the way he left and an olive branch to try to be friends again. The weight on his chest seemed to lift the more her wrote. He told her about Pansy and working with George. By the time he finished, he had filled two pages and was worried about the letter being bigger than the owl._

 _Over the next few weeks, Ron made an effort to get to know Theo and spend more time with their old group of friends. Seeing everyone at his mum's birthday party had shown him just how isolated he had become and he needed to change that. He might even start playing chess with Harry again. Time with Pansy was comfortable and there was a sense of peace when he was with her. But, he still felt like something was missing. Pansy challenged him to be better and they were a great team when one of them had a problem at work that was challenging to solve. But, was that enough? The letter from Hermione had got him thinking. He needed to talk to Pansy because he wasn't so sure any more about anything._

Hugo set down the letter on the table. "Where is all of this going? Mum and Dad are dating other people but they are talking again. We know that they ended up back together, because we would not be here if they hadn't. But, I am so confused."

"Did half the stuff Mum and Dad ever make sense to us?" Rose asked as she leaned against the couch. "You can see in the letters that they care about each other but, they were both so stubborn. They are trying to make it work with their new choices and it doesn't look like it is working."

"That sounds like Dad," Hugo stood up and headed for the kitchen. "He was like that when he was working on an idea for the shop. I guess he didn't limit his stubbornness to work."

"Neither did Mum," Rose reached for him from her comfortable spot on the floor. "Looks like I am done with this packet. Time for lunch?"

"I've got sandwich stuff and chips in here," Hugo called from the kitchen. "Weasley Specials all around? I'm hungry."

"Sure thing, little brother," Rose hollered from the couch. "I'll just be trying to dig out from the avalanche that is our parents' love lives."

" _ **She was brave and strong and broken all at once."**_

 _ **-Anna Fuler, Stasiland**_

" _ **It has made me better, loving you."**_

 _ **\- Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady**_


	5. Chapter 4: More Than Friends

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

Chapter 4: More Than Friends

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione

Rating: To to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Hugo and Rose are discovering that their parents' love story was not an easy adventure. What will they discover when they explore the next packet of letters? Is there even such a thing as a second first date?

* * *

 _ **Papers fade into shadows of her days**_

 _ **Risks taken and rewards granted**_

 _ **Seeking balance her greatest adventure**_

 _ **Discovering new love with him**_

Rose stood up from the couch and collected the plates from the table. Cleaning up after lunch seemed like a small piece of normal in this strange adventure. She had never really thought about how her parents came to be a couple, just that they were one.

"A sickle for your thoughts," Hugo said as he joined her in the kitchen. "This puts a whole new light on things Mum and Dad said when we started dating. I never would have guessed they felt so torn apart at this point in their lives."

"I know," Rose sighed as she put the plates in the sink. "Mum always told me to be careful with my heart and to not let the outside world drive the inside world of a relationship but, I never figured this is why."

"It is so hard to see them not together," Hugo said as he set their glasses in the sink and started the cleaning spell. "Dad always seemed devoted to Mum and she never seemed to be far from him, even when they weren't in the same country."

"How did they ever work it all out?" Rose asked as they walked back to the living room. "They seemed so upset with each other when it fell apart. Dad always said the opposite of love wasn't hate, but apathy. That could explain that last set of letters."

"There is only one way to find out," Hugo reached in Ron's trunk and pulled out a packet. "On to number four we go. Surely they figure this out soon."

"Knowing them," Rose sighed as she handed Hugo the matching packet from Hermione's trunk. "They did it the hardest and most stubborn way possible. Mum always said Dad was worse than a Welsh Green when he had made up his mind."

"No time like the present to find out," Hugo settled on the couch and looked at his sister. "Pull the pretty purple ribbon on 3?"

"I count this time," Rose set her packet on her lap and reached for the ribbon. "On my mark … One … Two … Three …"

"What is this?" Hugo held up the picture from the top of his packet. "It looks like the back of Mum's head. What in the world?"

"I have the exact same thing, except it's Dad," Rose held up her picture. "There is nothing on the back of this one. What are they up to?"

"I have no idea," Hugo turned his picture over. "This is strange. 'Just read the letters… Pictures never tell the whole story.' The mystery grows."

"So, on to the letters," Rose said as she picked up the first letter in her stack. _"Mum, You were right …"_

 _Ron stood in the hall outside Hermione's flat. He should not be this nervous. Pansy had taken their break up better than he had expected and now he was getting ready to ask one of his best friends for another chance. They had taken time over the last few months to get to know each other again as friends. He hadn't realized just how beautiful she was she was hidden behind a pile of books and papers. Not that he was going to tell her that but, he could still think it._

 _What if things ended up the same again? Could he really risk his heart on a girl that had left him hollow that last time they tried this? The answer was … YES! She really was worth the risk. He had watched her when she was dating Theo. She left work at work and went out with friends. Group dates were bloody awkward but, she had started smiling again. It wasn't easy but he let her talk to him about Theo and ultimately about her decision to end their relationship._

" _Time to find your courage, Weasley," Ron muttered to himself as he knocked on her door. "The worst Granger can say is no … Oh, hey, Mione."_

" _Hi, Ron," Hermione blushed as she stared at Ron's face. "I thought you were the pizza guy. Want to come in?"_

 _Ron pulled the bouquet of forget-me-nots from behind his back. "For you.," Ron stammered. "I remembered that you liked them."_

 _Hermione took the battered bouquet from Ron's hands and opened the door wider, "Thank you! Come in and make yourself comfortable. Shoes by the door, please."_

 _Well, that hadn't changed. Hermione was never one for shoes beyond the front door. Taking off his shoes, Ron padded into the sitting room. "What kind of pizza are you expecting?" he asked as the doorbell chimed._

" _Buddhist," Hermione yelled from the kitchen. "Money is on the table by the door. Should be enough to pay and tip."_

" _Buddhist," Ron asked as he answered the door and paid for the pizza. "Tell me what that is. Pizza is on me. You can get the next one."_

" _One with everything," Hermione answered as she brought plates into the sitting room and set them on the coffee table. "You did not have to get this. I am a capable witch."_

" _I wanted to, Mione," Ron said as he put the pizza box on the table. "Besides, it has been a while since we enjoyed pizza and each other's company. Dig in."_

"Hmm, Buddhist pizza," Rose laughed as she set the letter she had been reading on the table. "I always wondered what that magnet on the fridge was for. Flying Pies had been closed for years and they still kept it up."

"Mum always did like everything on her pizza," Hugo chuckled as he reached for the first letter in his packet. "Dad just picked off everything but the pepperonis and sausage and kept eating."

"I guess they found a way to work together," Rose studied the picture of the back of Ron's head. "Dad's hair is longer than I expected. I am still trying to figure out why they put these pictures in. They are Muggle pictures too. No movement."

"Mom always keep her old Brownie camera around," Hugo reminded Rose as he reached for the first letter in his packet. "I'm sure the answer is in these letters somewhere. I forget that Mum was a Muggle."

"But, it sure made growing up interesting," Rose settled back in to the couch. "Okay, little brother, time to read Mum's side of things."

"Okay, Mum, what's up with the forget-me-nots?" Hugo said as he opened the first letter. _"Molly, What am I going to do with your son…"_

 _Hermione had been startled to find Ron at her doorstep instead of the pizza guy. She had been spending more time thinking about him lately. They had finally found a way to be better friends than they had been during their time at school. He really was a funny guy when she gave him a chance._

 _She and Theo had ended their relationship a few weeks ago and she felt okay about it. Theo was still a good friend but, they had both decided that they were better as friends. It was nice to spend time with people and not have the pressure of expectations on everyone at the gathering._

 _Hermione had watched Ron fidget at the door for several minutes before he knocked. He still was nervous around her. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest as she waited for him to knock. It was Wednesday and she really was not expecting anyone other than the pizza guy. She hoped she had pulled of the surprised but not nervous act when she finally did answer the door._

 _She really should go back out to the sitting room but she was sitting in the kitchen staring at the bouquet of forget-me-nots that Ron had brought her. She could have charmed them to look perfect but, she liked them the way they were. Just a little bit battered by Ron's nervous fingers as he had talked himself into knocking on her door. She had put their plates and glasses in the dishwasher and she was supposed to be bringing cookies back to the sitting room. The cookies were on the plate, the plate was floating over the table, and she was still sitting in her chair._

" _Hermione, you okay in there?" Ron asked from the sitting room. "Do I need to send in a search party?"_

" _No, I'm good," Hermione shook herself out of her musings. "Be there in a minute. Do you want something else to drink?"_

" _I'm good," Ron laughed as he walked towards the kitchen. "Butter beer and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies work for me."_

" _How did you know what kind of cookies?" Hermione giggled as she pushed the plate of cookies towards Ron. "It could be oatmeal raisin."_

" _Because you HATE oatmeal raisin," Ron snagged two cookies off the plate and followed Hermione back to the couch. "Besides, I could smell them baking while I was deciding to knock on your door."_

" _Rascal," Hermione took a swat at Ron's shoulder and settled the plate of cookies on the coffee table. "So you rang my bell for the cookies … not the company"_

" _I rang the bell because I had a question for you," Ron pulled Hermione into his lap. "You don't have to answer me now, just promise to think about it."_

" _What's the question, Weasley?" Hermione rested her head on his shoulder. "I can't promise to think about it until I know what the question is."_

" _Are you sure you want me to ask it?" Ron asked quietly as he tucked Hermione's head under his chin. "The question and the answer could change everything."_

" _Ask the question, Ron," Hermione whispered as she touched his cheek. "I promise I will think about the answer before I give it."_

" _Hermione Jean Granger," Ron used a single finger to tilt Hermione's chin up and focus on her eyes. "Will you do me the honor of joining me for dinner? Just the two of us. As more than friends?"_

 _Hermione stared at Ron as she watched every emotion flash in his eyes. Did she have an answer for that question? Her heart was screaming "YES! YES! A thousand times YES!" but her head was screaming "What are you thinking? He hurt you before, he can do it again. Don't do it!"_

 _Time seemed to stop as she thought about her answer. Which should she follow? Head or heart? It turns out that neither of those answered the question. Her body did. Without a word, Hermione leaned forward and kissed Ron softly on the lips. "I would love to join you for dinner … as more than friends."_

 _Ron slowly lifted his hands to cradle her face in his hands. "Thank you. For giving us another chance. I promise to do better this time."_

 _He sealed his promise with a gentle sip of her lips. Ron hugged Hermione to his chest and listened to the quiet of her flat._

" _I could sit here all night, just like this. I have missed hearing your heartbeat in my ear." Hermione sighed and snuggled deeper._

" _I could too. My flat is so quiet without you in it," Ron whispered into her hair. "I have too much time to think."_

 _Ron and Hermione spent the next hour talking quietly about what they had been doing and planned to do. Eventually, Hermione fell asleep in Ron's lap and her carried her back to her bed._

" _Good night, love," He said as he tucked her in. "I'll see you tomorrow night. Sleep well."_

 _Ron quietly put on his shoes and walked out of Hermione's flat. "Alohomora … Sweet dreams, sweetheart."_

Hugo stared at the letter in front of him. "How did Dad do it? Ask Mum for another chance knowing she might say no?"

 _ **Scars become white webs in his skin**_

 _ **Risks taken and rewards granted**_

 _ **Seeking peace his greatest adventure**_

 _ **Discovering new love with her**_

"The same way Mum said 'Yes', I guess," Rose said as she picked up the next letter from her packet. "She always said courage comes from saying yes when a small part of you is screaming no."

"I am glad she said yes," Hugo laughed as he waited for his sister to start reading. "We would not be here if she had said no."

"This is true," Rose opened the next letter in her stack. _"Mate, Where do you take the love of your life on a second first date …"_

 _Ron was once again standing on Hermione's doorstep, but this time he had a bouquet of yellow roses. Mum had put the bouquet together for him when he told her about his plans for tonight. "Ron, my sweet boy," Molly had said as she patted his cheek, "I knew you were smarter than your brothers' gave you credit for. Hermione is a beautiful girl and you should not have let her get away the first time."_

" _I know, Mum," Ron said sheepishly. "But, we both had things we need to work out on our own. I don't want to screw it up this time."_

" _Small steps, Ronald," Molly reminded him as she handed him the finished bouquet. "This life is a long journey and every step is important."_

" _Yes, Mum," Ron replied as he took the bouquet and kissed his mother on the cheek. "Step one - make it through this second, first date without putting my foot in my mouth. Thanks for the talk."_

" _Breathe, Weasley." told himself as he rang the doorbell. "She agreed to this, just don't screw it up."_

 _She stole his breath when she opened the door. "Hello, Ron. Come on in. I just have to put on my shoes and grab my coat."_

" _These are for you," Ron stuttered as he pulled the bouquet out from behind is back. "Do you want me to put them in water while you finish getting ready?"_

" _Sure, you know where the vase is," Hermione's voice drifted from her bedroom. "So, where are we going? I want to make sure I am dressed for it."_

" _Ron looked down at his best jeans and favorite sweater. "What you have on is perfect. Can't a fellow keep a few surprises for a first date?"_

" _Really, Ronald," Hermione said as she came back into the sitting room. "You know how much I don't like secrets. Besides, this is not our first date."_

" _Really. Mione," Ron answered. "The bouquet is your clue. Think about the last place you saw yellow roses. Besides, this is our first date, the first date of our second chance."_

" _Okay, the last place is saw roses like this was in your Mum's garden at the Burrow," Hermione said thoughtfully. "The Burrow… there is not a restaurant near the Burrow, is there?"_

" _You will just have to wait and see," Ron said as he helped Hermione into her coat. "Step with me into the Floo. Your answer is at the other end… The Burrow,"_

 _In a flash of green smoke, Ron and Hermione entered the sitting room at the Burrow. There was a note with Hermione's name on it on the coffee table. "What's this? Another clue?"_

" _Yes, a clue," Ron chuckled. "Where are we headed next?"_

" _Hermione, my dear," she began to read. "Your dinner is waiting by the still waters that you love to stare across. Enjoy the quiet. Molly & Arthur"_

" _The still waters?" Hermione looked at Ron. "What still waters? The only water around here is the pond but, there is not a restaurant at the pond."_

" _But there might just be a picnic for two in your favorite spot by the pond," Ron kissed Hermione on the forehead and grabbed her hand. "Let's go see what is at the pond."_

 _Ron and Hermione walked out of the Burrow and followed a well-worn path to the pond. A small tent was set up looking over the pond. "Welcome to Still Waters, the Weasley family restaurant for second chance first dates …" Ron swept aside the curtain to reveal a blanket and pillow covered space with an old-fashioned picnic basket._

 _Hermione settled onto the blankets as Ron tied back the curtain. "What is in the basket, Ronald?" she asked as he sat beside her._

" _Open it up and see," Ron took of his jacket and motioned for her to take off hers. "I'm sure you will like what you find."_

 _Hermione opened the basket and began to remove the dishes she found inside it. "I think someone charmed this basket. Something so small could not hold all of this otherwise."_

" _Well," Ron hedged. "The chef did say it was a special basket. Shall we enjoy what has been prepared?"_

 _Ron and Hermione filled their plates with what turned out to be all of Hermione's favorite foods. As the sun set over the pond, Ron and Hermione ate their dinner and talked. They talked about friends and family, work and not work. Ron enjoyed watching Hermione's eyes twinkle as she talked about getting more protections passed for House Elves and Hermione laughed until she cried when Ron talked about the lab mishaps with George. Candles began to flicker to life as the sky grew dark._

" _I have not had this much fun in a long time," Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thank you for a lovely evening. I have missed talking to you like this."_

" _I have missed this, too," Ron reached up to tuck a curl behind Hermione's ear. "Thank you for this second chance. I want to try being more than friends again. No rush, just small steps."_

" _I'd like that, too," Hermione whispered as she leaned closer to Ron. "This has been a perfect second first date."_

 _Ron put his forehead against Hermione's. Slowly, she reached up and stroked his cheek. "Okay, small steps, Ron. I'll take the first one."_

 _Hermione gently sipped at Ron's lips. "Wow, what a first step," Ron whispered against her lips before he began to kiss her again._

 _Ron and Hermione spent the rest of the evening quietly talking and kissing. When Ron Floo'd her home, he asked for another date. Hermione agreed but, only, if she could plan it._

"Well, that explains something," Rose said as she set her letter on the coffee table. "I always wondered why Mum and Dad would wander out to the pond at sunset when we went to Gran's. They never said anything, they would just stand there, wrapped in each other's arms and watch the sunset."

"Dad used to say that the simplest gifts were always the best gifts," Hugo reached into his packet for the next letter. "A picnic by the pond at sunset … simple and perfect."

Hugo looked at the next letter in his packet. "I think I like the direction this is headed, but I need fortification. Care for a snack?"

Rose stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "Gran's Wonder Bars and Mum's lemonade?" she asked.

"Perfect," Hugo answered from his spot on the couch. "Reading this letters works up a thirst. I didn't know Dad had it in him."

"Had what in him?" Rose asked as she set the tray with their snack on the coffee table. "He was always doing little stuff for Mum. He just never made a big deal about it."

"And she never said anything either," Hugo opened the letter on his lap. _"Ginny, Why didn't I see this the first time …"_

 _Hermione stared at the bouquet drying in her kitchen widow. It had been two weeks since their second, first date and Hermione was still walking on air. Work happened and life happened. Suddenly, it was easy to find the balance. She had talked to her Healer about it at her last appointment._

" _Why is it easier to leave work at work?" Hermione had asked. "I don't feel the need to finish one last thing before I leave. I can actually leave research for tomorrow if I am going to see Ron after work."_

" _Because, you have finally decided what is more important," her Healer had answered. "You have finally decided to choose Ron over work. What is different this time?"_

" _I'm not sure," Hermione answered with a puzzled look on her face. "He has a different job, but I have the same job. I think this time; I know what I have to lose if I let work take over. I missed the little things when we were apart."_

" _What little things?" the Healer asked, absently. "What did your time apart show you? What did you discover about him that you missed the first time?"_

" _Things like bringing me forget me nots and old books," Hermione looked out the window. "He has always found little things that don't mean much to others but mean the world to me. Our 'second' first date was by the pond at his parents' house where I would go to think when the Burrow got too noisy."_

 _Tonight, Hermione was in charge of their evening. She had decided to cook and had owled Molly about how to make a couple of Ron's favorite dishes. Dinner and a movie, just the two of them in her flat. Sounded perfect. Now, if he would just hurry up and get here._

 _As she walked through the sitting room to get his surprise from her room, Hermione heard Ron knock at the door. "Come in," she hollered, "Door's open. I'll be in the sitting room in a minute. Make yourself at home."_

" _Mione, you should really keep your door locked," Ron shrugged out of his jacket and hung it by the door. "What if it had not been me at the door? You can't just let anybody in here."_

" _Why. Ronald Weasley," Hermione dropped a kiss on his cheek as she breezed past him. "I think you might worry about me just a little bit."_

" _Don't tease, Mione," Ron muttered as he blushed. "I just don't want to show up one day to your flat ransacked. You mean too much."_

" _Who else would be at my door on a Saturday afternoon," Hermione walked into the kitchen. "Besides the pizza guy, no one comes here unless they are invited. You did help me set up a ward or two around this flat."_

 _Ron walked up behind Hermione and pulled her to his chest. "I worry. I seem to have fallen in love with a fearless witch," Ron tucked Hermione's head under his chin. "I don't think I could function if I lost her again."_

" _Well, this witch has learned a few new tricks," Hermione turned in Ron's arms and kissed him on the cheek. "I seem to have fallen for an amazing wizard and I have no intention of losing him again."_

" _You absolutely wreck me, Mione," Ron whispered as he leaned down to kiss her. "What did I ever do without you?"_

" _Starve to death," Hermione giggled as she broke their kiss. "Come sit down to dinner. The we can talk about how much you love me and I love you."_

 _Ron and Hermione spent the rest of the evening talking in soft whispers and even softer kisses. After dinner, they moved to the couch in the sitting room. Hermione started the movie, but Ron wasn't paying attention to the screen, he was watching her._

" _What?" Hermione asked as he continued to stare. "Ron. what's wrong? DO I have sauce on my shirt?"_

" _No, your shirt is sauce free." Ron said as he used a single finger to tilt her chin up. "I was just admiring the view and thinking about how lucky I have been. Not every wizard gets a second chance to find his greatest treasure."_

" _I am nobody's treasure, Ron." Hermione whispered. "I am the lucky one. I found my greatest treasure in one of my oldest friends."_

" _Every man has a different idea of treasure, love," Ron whispered against her lips. "It took me a while to understand why but, now that I know what you are, I am never letting you go."_

 _Ron softly kissed Hermione as the movie played in the background. They talked quietly as the movie played. Eventually, Hermione laid her head of Ron's shoulder and drifted off to sleep. Ron was asleep soon after. A perfect end to a beautiful evening._

Hugo set the last letter done on his stack from this packet. "That explains the treasure chest that always set on the mantle. I looked in it one time, but it was empty."

"Mum told me that our greatest treasure is never found in a box," Rose kissed her brother on the cheek. "She always told me to treasure the friends we made and the family we had over the things we could find."

"Well. as much as I love you, dear sister," Hugo stretched as he stood up from the couch. "I have three treasures at home that have been promised dinner and a movie."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Rose stood and went to get her coat of the hook by the door. "I have treasures to see at home, too."

" _ **The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you."**_

 _ **-Unknown**_


	6. Chapter 5: Making Up

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

Chapter 5: Making Up

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione

Rating: To to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Rose and Hugo discover that just because their parents are together again, not everything is smooth sailing. Can Hermione and Ron survive the bumps and mistakes in their relationship?

* * *

 _ **Papers collect on smooth surfaces**_

 _ **Work done and promises forgotten**_

 _ **Forgiveness her greatest adventure**_

 _ **Charting new paths with him**_

Hugo wasn't sure he wanted to look in the trunk in front of him. He and Rose had decided that two packets a day was all their hearts could handle. He had told Anna about the last set of letter when he got home. "I never even thought about Mum and Dad being anything but together," he had told her. "It is hard to remember the two people who created the relationship I wanted as I was growing up were not always perfect."

His Anna has assured him that every couple had their ups and downs and his parents were giving their family a gift by letting them see what those ups and downs were. She also reminded him that not every family got a chance to discover their history from the people who lived it.

Hugo stepped out of the Floo at his parents' house in a puff of green smoke. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming." Rose called from the sitting room. "Coffee is on the table. I figured we could use something stronger today."

"Thanks," Hugo crossed the kitchen to get his cup from the table. "What packet are we on now? What heart attack do they have planned for us today?"

"We are heart attack number five,' Rose laughed as she lifted a packet wrapped in silver ribbon from Hermione's trunk. "I'm taking Mum's letters today. You can have Dad's"

"Thanks a bunch," Hugo grumbled. "You just don't want to have to read Dad's chicken scratch. Mum always fussed about his lack of skill with a quill."

"Have a seat and stop fussing," Rose handed Hugo his packet from Ron's trunk. "Besides, it sounds strange for Mum's letters to be read in a deep voice. Just like feels strange for me to read Dad's words out loud."

"Well, at least they were back to seeing each other by the end of yesterday's packets," Hugo grumbled. "I was beginning to worry that we had imagined they got married and had us. I don't really want to vanish because my parent' forgot to get together to have me."

"Seriously, Hugo,' Rose huffed as she sat on the couch and opened her packet. "You sounded just like Uncle George just then. Gran would be rolling her eye and swatting you with a dish towel."

"I see nothing wrong with sounding like Uncle George," Hugo settled down next to Rose to open his packet. "Now, if you had said I sounded like Uncle Percy, you would be going for your wand. I have a sense of humor, he did not."

"Uncle Percy did have a sense of humor," Rose defended their stoic uncle. "You just had to dig really deep to find it. I saw him laugh … once."

"What's this?" Hugo held up a picture of Hermione reaching for something off camera. "Mum looks like she is trying to decide if she is going to laugh or kill someone. Not that I have experience with that look."

"Why is Dad running away from the camera?" Rose held up her picture. "That spark looks like a spell. What had he done?"

"I guess the answers are in the letters," Hugo held up his first one. _"Charlie, I may need to borrow your couch again …"_

 _Ron looked up at the clock on the wall. He was in so much trouble. He was supposed to be at Hermione's an hour ago. But, he and George had stumbled onto a fix for a glitch in their new personal defense spell and he had to fix it. This new spell cold me big things for the Defense side of business, the side of the business that was closest to his heart._

" _Mione is going to kill me," he muttered as he locked up the lab and headed for the Floo. She was cooking dinner tonight and he was supposed to bring the movie. "I guess I had better pop by my flat before I go to hers."_

 _Ron and Hermione had been talking about taking another step in their relationship. They both still had their own flats but, they spent most of their non-working hours at her place. Ron hated leaving her flat every evening and he despised sleeping alone. But, this relationship was going to be rebuilt on small steps. Spending the night was a HUGE step. A step he was NEVER going to get to if he was any later to dinner. Taking a deep breath, Ron Floo'd to his flat to get the movie._

 _Hermione was staring at an empty Floo. She knew staring at it would not make the wizard she was waiting for appear any faster. She had experience at that. This reminded her of the nights she spent waiting for him to come back to her from his Auror cases. Dinner was on the table and cold. Ron was LATE. What could he be doing that would keep him from her?_

 _With a puff of green smoke, Ron started his apology. "Mione, please. I am so sorry. We had an issue come up with the new personal defense spell and I had to fix it"_

 _Words seemed to tumble off his lips and fall on the floor. Hermione's eyes flashed amber and cooled to a deep chocolate. "Dinner was ready an hour ago, Ronald. I suggest to wash up before you need a defense spell for yourself."_

" _Mione. please," Ron began again. "I know you took time off today to cook for us and you have a big case tomorrow. I am so sorry."_

" _I'm going to reheat dinner," Hermione muttered through her teeth and walked to the kitchen. "Go wash up and join me in the kitchen."_

 _Ron was in serious trouble. He knew that look. Hermione was ready to run. He had just done to her what had driven him away the first time. "Bloody hell, I need to fix this," Ron talked to himself as he washed up." I cannot lose her again."_

 _Hermione was muttering heating spells as she watched Ron head for the bathroom to wash up. "Just who does he think he is? He was supposed to be here an hour ago. How are we supposed to build anything if I can't count on him to keep his word? Protection spell, my wand."_

 _Ron could hear her muttering from the sitting room. "Mione, love. Can we talk before we eat? I want you to listen to me, please."_

" _What is there to listen to," Hermione snarked from the kitchen. "You are an hour late, you did not bother to let me know you were going to be late, and work seems to be more important than me."_

" _Mione, please," Ron looked up from the floor. "I am so sorry. I know I messed up. I should have paid closer attention to the time."_

" _Don't, Ronald, just don't," Hermione sighed. "Just eat dinner and go home. I am tired and I am going to say something I shouldn't."_

 _Ron and Hermione sat in silence and ate the dinner Hermione had prepared. Three time Ron tried to apologize, three times Hermione glared him into silence. After dinner, Ron walked to the Floo. "I'm sorry. You are more important that work, I promise."_

 _In a flash of green, Ron granted Hermione's wish and went home._

"I really would not have wanted to be in Dad's shoes that night," Hugo set down the letter he had been reading. "I know red heads are given a hard time for their tempers, but I NEVER wanted Mum mad at me. We know what is can do when she is mad enough."

"We sure do," Rose laughed. "Mr. Malfoy was still talking about the broken nose he got from Mum when they were students, five years ago."

"We know Dad survived this," Hugo leaned back against the couch. "But how much groveling did he have to do? I hope one of these letters explains this picture."

"Well, I've got a picture of Mum laughing," Rose picked up the first letter from her packet and began to read. _"Luna, Please remind me why I am not allowed to kill him …"_

 _Hermione stared at the Floo long after Ron had gone home. She was still angry. How dare he break things off with her because she was working too much and then be an HOUR late for dinner because he was working? Double standards much._

 _Hermione was still fuming when a bouquet of forget-me-nots was delivered by owl the next morning. She pitched the letter that followed the flowers in the trash without reading it. The next day, she threw three letters in the fire and returned a package unopened. On the third day, she had had enough._

 _Ron was sitting at his desk when the howler arrived. He knew it was coming when the package he had owled her yesterday returned unopened and covered in "Return to Sender" stamps. He saved the package for seeing her tomorrow after work. Now, he had to survive this howler and then he would work on her forgiveness._

" _Ronald Weasley, How dare you try to bribe me with flowers, gifts and notes. I am not finished being mad at you. I cannot be swayed with pretty words or objects. How dare you! I need to see that I mean more than work. Words are pretty but actions are more important. If we are going to make this work, we have to have be on the same page. If you are going to be late, tell me. If work is more important, don't bother to see me."_

 _It was a good thing Ron had a plan. He knew he had messed up. But, he knew how to get back into her good graces. It was going to take time and patience and he was going to have to leave work early from now until she forgave him. Then, he was going to have to leave work on time or early for a while longer to convince her he was seriously. Operation: Win Her starts tomorrow._

 _Ron was waiting on her door step with roses and dinner the next night. Hermione had not expected him and she reluctantly invited him in. Ron counted it as a victory when the roses went in water and not in the trash. "Mione, you don't have to talk to me. Just listen. I am not perfect. I made a mistake. I'm sorry."_

" _Ron. I'm tired. I can't do this tonight," Hermione sank into the couch and closed her eyes._

" _I know you are tired," Ron sat down next to her on the couch. "Tonight, it is my turn to take care of you. No strings attached, just making sure you have dinner and get rest. I'm going to clean up and then you can decide what to do next."_

 _Ron took their dishes into the kitchen and began to clean up the mess that was there. He wanted to give her time to relax. By the time he finished in the kitchen, he could hear her sleepy breathing coming from the sitting room. Ron grabbed a blanket off the chair by the kitchen and walked over to the couch. "Good night Mione," Ron kissed her on the forehead and tucked the blanket around her. "I'll see you tomorrow."_

"Dad has his work cut out for him," Hugo looked up at his sister. "Mum was slow to anger, but she was even slower to forgive."

 _ **Scars collect on rough hands**_

 _ **Work done and promises forgotten**_

 _ **Forgiveness his greatest adventure**_

 _ **Charting new paths with her**_

Rose reached for another letter in her packet. "Mum talked to me about forgiveness when I was little. She said it was the hardest lesson she learned growing up."

"Dad said the same thing to me," Hugo stretched from his spot on the floor. "He said Mum taught him most of those lesson, both getting and giving forgiveness."

"Yeah, that sounds like them," Rose stood from the couch and walked to the fireplace. "She said one of the hardest lessons to learn was that in forgiving someone else, you have to apologize and ask for forgiveness yourself."

"She did always make both of us apologize to each other when we fought," Hugo picked up the coffee cups from the coffee table and headed for the kitchen. "Are you ready for a snack? I brought Wonder bars. Anna made a batch last night."

"I could use a snack," Rose called out a she settled back on the couch. "Wonder bars and water sounds good."

"I'm on it," Hugo said as he carried a tray of snacks and drinks into the sitting room. "Snacks to get us ready for the next letter. Mum's howler was interesting to read"

"She didn't send many of those." Rose smiled. "But the one I got during school was enough to never want to get another one."

"Same here," Hugo answered. "One howler from Mum was enough. I never wanted to receive one again."

"But it still doesn't explain why there were sparks flying around Dad in that picture." Rose looked closely at the picture of Ron. "Wonder if it was Mum chasing him?"

"We won't know until we read more," Hugo picked up the next letter and began to read. _"Mate, She chased me down the path with her wand …"_

 _Ron was still trying to get in Hermione's good graces. But it was not working. Last week, she had chased him away from the pond with some stinging curses because she wanted to be there by herself. The week before, she had thrown dinner at his head, after he had brought it to her. Ron was not giving up on her or a life with her. He just had to get past her anger._

" _Mione, please," Ron struggled to breathe as he ran from her stinging curses. "I told you I was sorry I was late. I am trying to show you that I care about you and I am willing to work around our work schedules to make this work."_

 _But Ron was not a wizard to give up. He continued to send letters and take dinner to Hermione a couple days a week. He managed to keep George busy in the lab so he could leave most days by dinner time. He was going to show Hermione that he could be counted on and he was not giving up._

 _Hermione could not believe he was doing this. Ron was everywhere. He was on her doorstep with dinner a couple of nights a week. He sent her letters every day. He sent her flowers and trinkets. He needed to leave her alone. She needed space to think._

 _But, Hermione was caving. She could feel it. The night at the pond, when he brought her forget-me-not, popcorn and pillows, she felt it. By the time he got back to the Burrow, they were both laughing and Ron left her alone for the rest of the evening. She was having trouble staying mad at him but they still needed to talk things out. Maybe she wouldn't throw dinner back at him the next time he showed up on her doorstep._

"Well, that explains the pictures now," Hugo laughed and wiped the tears from his eyes. "If nothing else he is persistent."

"Mum needs to put him out of his misery," Rose giggled and picked up another letter. "Poor Dad didn't stand a chance, did he."

"I was thinking the same thing about Mum," Hugo grabbed a Wonder bar and settled back against the couch. "Slow and steady wins the race, as Gran used to say."

"I still think Mum made him sweat it out," Rose began to read the letter in her lap. _"Ginny, What do I do now …"_

 _Hermione was staring at the bouquet of forget-me-nots that sat in the center of her kitchen table. She had finally decided not to send this bunch back and read the note that was attached to it. She was surprised that the note did not start with "I'm sorry" and she was looking forward to seeing what he would come up with next. Last week he charmed his way into her flat and had grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup waiting on her when she got home. She had started looking at him differently since the night at the pond._

 _She was tired. If it could go wrong, it had today. All Hermione wanted to do was go to bed. She had broken her own rule and stayed really late at the office tonight, but all the issues had been set right. She was even too tired to fuss at Ron when she saw him asleep in her doorway._

" _Ron, Ron, Ron," she nudged him with her foot. "What are you doing here and why are you sleeping in my doorway?"_

" _Hmm, oh, hey Mione," Ron rubbed his eyes and started to stand. "I brought you dinner. I thought you would be home sooner."_

" _Come in and talk to me," Hermione nudged him into the sitting room. "I will heat up the food you brought and then we can talk."_

" _Talking is good," Ron settled onto the couch. "I like talking. It worries me when you work so late. Is everything okay?"_

" _I'm fine, Ronald," Hermione took the food to the kitchen to heat it up. "Just a day of things going wrong all at the same time."_

" _Sounds like last week for us," Ron was starting to feel a little more awake. "George has a new charm he is working on and every little fix make five more problems."_

" _That sounds about right," Hermione returned to the sitting room with their plates of pasta and salad. "I wanted to leave hours ago, but nothing works when you are trying to go home."_

" _I'm sorry, Mione," Ron reached up for her as Hermione settled onto the couch beside him. "I have been trying to show you that I will do my best to put you first. I'm not perfect but I will always try to be better."_

" _I'm sorry, too," Hermione put her hand on his leg. "I was looking for a reason to be mad and that night happened. I didn't know how to let you back in without getting hurt again."_

" _So that is why you chased me with stinging curses at the pond," Ron chuckled. "Keeping me at arm's length so I could not break your heart again."_

" _Maybe, a little," Hermione looked up at his, sheepishly. "But, you are persistent, if nothing else. How many times do I have to throw you out before you give up?'_

" _Too many," Ron laid his head on her shoulder. "I decided this time I am not giving up on us. You are my best friend and I can't see forever without you."_

" _I don't want forever without you either," Hermione place a soft kiss on his forehead. "Let's eat and then find a movie. I could use a little down time."_

 _Ron and Hermione finished their dinners and worked together to clean up afterwards. Hermione picked a movie they had watched before and settled into the crook of Ron's shoulder. By the time the movie was over, Ron and Hermione were tangled together, sound asleep._

Hugo and Rose stared at the stacks of letters on the table. Once again, their parents' had surprised them. "Forgiveness earned is trust earned," Hugo sighed as he stood up out of the floor. "Time to for lunch, big sister. I need to take a break from this and breathe"

 _ **We are learning to live again, and, for many of us, it is for the first time.**_

 _ **-Emilie Autumn, The Asylum for Wayward Victorian Girls**_


	7. Chapter 6: Growing Up

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

Chapter 6: Growing Up

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione

Rating: T to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Rose and Hugo are beginning to wonder if their parents will ever take the next step in their relationship. Can Ron gather up the courage to ask Hermione to take a risk?

 _ **Papers float in the wind**_

 _ **Choices made and actions forgotten**_

 _ **Trusting her greatest adventure**_

 _ **Building hope with him**_

Hugo looked around the sitting room at his parents' house. Stacks of letters were on the coffee table and two trunks sat, open, in the middle of the floor. It was hard to imagine those two battered and repaired trunks held the greatest treasure he had ever found.

"Earth to Huggie," Rose teased as she brought a tray full of sandwiches and lemonade into the room. "What has you so deep in thought? This has been an adventure so far."

"I know, Rosie," Hugo took the tray from his sister and looked for a place to set it down. "I just never imagined they could be anything other than we always knew. But, at the same time, so many things make sense now."

"It is strange to see them fight," Rose sighed as she sunk onto the couch. "It is also good to see them make up. The letters are strange extra pieces in a puzzle I didn't know was missing pieces."

"Lunch then letters," Hugo said as he set down the tray and grabbed a sandwich. "I need fuel before I read more of Dad trying to win back Mum."

"Or Mum win back Dad," Rose giggled as she picked up a new picture. "Look, Crookshanks does not look like he wants to be petted."

"Time to tackle another packet," Hugo pulled a bundle of letters from Hermione's trunk. "Lucky bundle number six tied with a blue ribbon. What secrets do you hold?"

"Hopefully, what made Mum take him back," Rose's voice floated up from the depths of Ron's trunk. "Bundle number six needs to get closer to putting them together or I may not be born …"

"Here we go down the rabbit hole," Hugo opened the first letter from packet six. _"Pansy, What do I do now …"_

 _Hermione looked around her flat. Ron was everywhere and it felt right. She found a sock under the couch yesterday when she was cleaning and he was supposed to be at the flat soon for dinner. He had already owled to let her know he might be late, but not by much. "Don't disappointment me, Ronald," Hermione whispered as she put plates on the table. He hadn't so far._

 _Since the night they had fallen asleep on the couch, Ron and Hermione had spent most evening together. Ron usually brought dinner to her flat and they enjoyed evening together. Weekends were spent at his flat or at the Burrow. They each slept in their own flats and took time to be with their friends. It was busy but almost perfect. Hermione had adjusted her work hours so she could be home by the time Ron was done at the store and he didn't huff (much) when she had to do an hour of paperwork after dinner. They were learning to balance work and personal. It felt good._

 _Hermione was startled by the flash of green in the Floo. "You're here early! Dinner is not done yet," Hermione rushed to the Floo to hug Ron._

" _George threw me out of the lab because I kept looking at the clock," Ron mumbled. "I still have design work to do in the new Christmas ornament charms."_

" _Blueprints or prototypes," Hermione asked, taking his coat from him. "We can look over blueprints and possible spells after dinner."_

 _You don't mind?" Ron looked surprised as she kissed him on the cheek. "What George wants to do with this thing is not making any sense."_

" _Come, eat," Hermione pulled Ron into the kitchen and sat him at the table. "I'm sure we can figure something out. Just like last week when you helped me with my new case."_

 _Ron spent dinner explaining what George wanted to do with this year's Christmas ornament charm. Hermione listened and asked questions and took notes. By the end of dinner, Ron had sketched out a plan and written a list of spells and charms to look into to make the idea work. "Are you sure you don't want to come work for George and me in R &D?" Ron asked as they took the dishes to the sink._

" _As much as I enjoy helping you like this, I love my job at MLE," Hermione kissed his cheek as she set the cleaning spell to work on the dirty dishes. "Besides, I hear the bosses are terrors that never let anyone leave and insist that nothing is ever do right."_

" _George is a tyrant," Ron pondered as he led Hermione to the sitting room. "But, I have heard the other bloke is not half bad."_

" _I heard he is a hunchback that never leaves the lab and growls at small children," Hermione began to laugh as she dropped onto the couch. "I hear his employees run in fear when they see him coming."_

" _Mione, not true," Ron pulled her on to his lap as he found a spot on the couch. "He does come out for dinner and only growls at small children when they interrupt his nap."_

 _Wrapping her arms around Ron's shoulders, Hermione peppered kisses along Ron's jaw. "So who should I believe about the working conditions? The hunchback or the employees?"_

" _The hunchback," Ron ran his hands up and down her arms. "He is a reasonable man that has learned to break away from his desk. It scares George and so he spreads lies."_

 _Ron turned his head and caught Hermione's lips in a gentle kiss. "Enough talk about work. Time to think about other things."_

 _Hermione sighed as the kiss ended. "What am I going to do with you Ronald?"_

" _Love me, Mione," Ron whispered against Hermione's kin. "Love me forever."_

Hugo looked up from the letter he finished reading. "Dad, the charmer? I am so confused."

"Mum always warned about judging a book by its cover," Rose reached for the first letter in her packet. "I guess Dad could be when he needed to be. Mum always said he had an amazing ability with charms."

"Creating charms is one thing, using them is another," Hugo shuttered as he set down the letter he had been reading. "I do not want to think about our father 'charming' our mother … EVER … EWWW."

"Why not, Huggie? I think it is cute," Rose began to read the letter she had picked up. _"George, I need your help …"_

 _Ron was floating. Well, he at least felt lighter. Spending time with Hermione was getting better each day. Last night had been eye opening. He had forgotten how fun it could be to watch Hermione work through a problem. But he wanted more. He wanted to not go to his flat at the end of the evening. He wanted to fall asleep with her and wake up with her. He wanted it all, again._

 _Hermione was still running scared. He knew she was running scared because she got nervous every time he talked about staying over. It was like she was still afraid she would shatter if she let go of that last barrier. He need to show her that he wasn't going anywhere. But he was going to need George's help and a LOT of luck._

 _He was going to get scars from this one. Not like scars were something new for Ron. His hands were covered in them for the work he had done for most of his life. He was going to show Hermione exactly what him loving her meant. The skin on his hands might be the sacrifice but George had promised him that the charms would work once he got them set up. Ron was going to tell a story and break down the last walls around her heart or he was going to crash and burn. George had better be right about this._

 _Hermione looked at the invitation that had just been delivered by Pigwidgen. "Mione. I need to show you something. Meet me at the pond tomorrow night. Ron" What was he up to?_

 _Hermione was beginning to worry about Ron. He seemed so determined to show her he could put her first, he was wearing himself thin. She had talked to George and found out that Ron was coming in early so he could leave to get to her by dinner. Ron had fallen asleep on the couch three nights this week. She loved being curled up with him, but she was starting to worry. It was time to turn the tables on Ron. She needed to take care of him, instead of him always taking care of her._

 _Operation: Rest Freckles was about to begin. Ginny was her spy and George was supposed to be helping. George's idea of helping was not always the best thing, but Hermione need to get Ron out of the lab and back to his flat. She had wizard to take care of. She still needed to meet Ron at the pond tonight but she was ready to break down the last wall around her heart. Now all she had to do was tell Ron._

 _Ron looked over the scaffold set up across the pond from Hermione's favorite spot. His hands were covered in blisters from hanging the charms in the proper order along the scaffolding. He could have used magic, but this was something he needed to do with his own hands. When deciding to hand your heart to the love of your life without asking for hers, one should do the work with his own hands and have scars to tell the stories for the rest of his life. If the charms worked the way George said they would, Ron would be tracking a path through their relationship and asking her to share a home with him. His lease was up in a few weeks and he had found a cottage for them to share, if she said yes. Even if she didn't say yes, he was buying that cottage and not giving up. He wanted to build something with her and he needed to show her that she was everything to him._

 _Hermione meet Ron at their spot by the pond near the Burrow. Ron was nervous. If this didn't work, he was living in a three-bedroom cottage with two bathrooms and a big back yard by himself. "What's going on Ron?" Hermione asked as he shuffled his feet nervously._

" _Just sit with me and watch the sunset, Mione," Ron tucked her under his shoulder. "I just want to watch the sun set."_

" _Okay, we can sit," Hermione settled onto the cushions that had appeared at their feet. "I love watching sunsets here. This pond has always been special."_

 _Ron settled beside Hermione and wrapped her in a blanket and his arms. "I can't imagine being anywhere else, Mione." He kissed her forehead as they settled together and watched the sun dip below the horizon._

" _ **Lumos praeteritum praesens futurum,"**_ _Ron whispered as he pointed his wand towards the sun set. The scaffolding he and George had made came to life. Ron had picked moments from their time at Hogwarts, the years right after the War and their careers. Their memories filled the dying light and traced their relationship, good and bad, perfect and imperfect. The last charms were the most important, they were the ones that held the key to his future. Hermione gasped as she saw images of the door to her flat and Ron's flat melt together and form the door of the cottage Ron had found. Ron tipped her chin up as the last of the charms faded. "Mione, please, stay with me. Fall asleep with me and wake up with me. Let me in. You own me heart and soul."_

 _Hermione reached up and placed her hand along Ron's cheek. Gently kissing his trembling lips, Hermione whispered "How soon can I see our home?"_

Hugo and Rose watched the charms melt two doors into one. "Dad sure knew how to ask a question," Hugo turned the picture over. "Look what he wrote on the back of this."

Rose leaned over and read the inscription. "Asking her to move in with me was even scarier than facing the Dark Lord … I'll never get my heart back."

 _ **Scars silvered over time**_

 _ **Choices made and actions forgotten**_

 _ **Trusting his greatest adventure**_

 _ **Building hope with her**_

Rose handed Hugo the next letter in his packet. "Mum always said Dad could make a charm for any occasion, but that display was incredible. I would of had trouble saying 'No' to him at that point."

"I'm still curious about Operation: Rest Freckles," Hugo laughed. "What was Mum thinking? Getting Uncle George to help with anything was a dangerous idea."

"It seemed to have worked out for Dad," Rose looked at the picture on the top of her next letter. "Wonder what this has to do with Mum's plans. It is a picture of Dad asleep in a pile of blankets and pillows and its titled Mission Accomplished."

"I have no idea," Hugo looked down at the letter in his lap. _"Ginny, Operation: Rest Freckles is going to happen…"_

 _Hermione looked around the sitting room of her flat. The last of the boxes had been packed and were sitting by the Floo waiting to be sent to their house. That part was still strange to say. She and Ron had bought a house together. The had signed the papers a few hours ago and Ron was at the lab finishing up some work so they could have tomorrow and the weekend free to move their things and settle in. It was a perfect time to put her plan into motion._

 _George had created the lab 'mishap' that Ron was working on and Ginny was meeting her at the cottage. Time to set up his surprise._

 _Hermione looked around the empty sitting room. There were candles around the room and a nest of blankets and pillows in the middle of the floor. The food was warming in the oven and the table had been set. Now all she had to do was get Ron here. She had sent Pigwidgen with a note asking Ron to Floo to the cottage when he was finished at work and George had just sent her a message that Ron was getting ready to leave. Time to get to work._

 _Ron was surprised by Hermione's note asking him to meet her at the cottage. They were supposed to start moving stuff there tomorrow but he was not about to ask any more questions. This week had been long. George seemed to have found more bugs than fixes on every project they were working on. Ron was tired. He was looking forward to taking the whole weekend to do nothing but move and unpack. He was going to have to talk to George about dividing up some of the work hours because he could not keep working the early mornings. Hermione hadn't noticed him going in early when they were living in separate flats, but she was going to notice after this weekend. As Ron stepped into the Floo, he decided that it was time to add some staff to the lab and let a few talented wizards and witches try their hand at parts of his job._

" _Hello, anybody home." Ron stepped out of the Floo and into the kitchen of the cottage. The table was set and the food smelled delicious. "Mione, I'm home."_

" _Welcome home, Ronald," Hermione walked across the kitchen and kissed Ron on the cheek. "Time to start our first tradition. Dinner for two on Thursday night. No work, no worries, just us."_

" _Okay," Ron leaned down to steal a kiss before he shrugged off his jacket. "No work, no worries, just us and this delicious dinner."_

 _Hermione guided Ron over to the table and watched him settle in at the head of the table. "Thank you," Hermione said as she sat down beside him. "Thank you for everything. Your faith, your love, our house, Everything."_

" _You don't have to thank me, Mione." Ron blushed as he looked into her eyes. "I can't imagine not being here with you. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. This journey is only starting and I can't imagine a better travel partner."_

" _I love you, Ronald Weasley," Hermione whispered as she leaned into Ron's shoulder. "Let's eat and then we can talk"_

 _Dinner was a quiet affair. Ron and Hermione talked about things they wanted to do in the cottage and what they wanted to do when they finished moving in the boxes. When they had finished eating. Hermione levitated the dished to the sink and started the cleaning spell. "Dessert in the sitting room?" she asked as she got up from the table._

" _I'd love too," Ron pushed away from the table and followed Hermione into the sitting room. "Looks like dessert is a picnic."_

" _Another tradition," Hermione sat down in the nest of blankets. "Cookies and kisses by the fire after dinner,"_

" _I think I can handle that tradition," Ron settled beside her in the blankets on the floor. "Kisses first."_

 _Ron pulled Hermione into his embrace and traced a finger down her nose. Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers. Hermione soon forgot about the cookies and only thought of the kisses that were melting her heart._

"Thursday nights at the Burrow was never about spending time with Gran and Papa, was it?' Hugo looked up from the letter he had been reading. "Mum and Dad just wanted the house to themselves. I guess some traditions are worth keeping."

"Thursday nights were about keeping promises," Rose reached for the next letter in her stack. "Mum always said a tradition kept was a promise fulfilled. So now we know about their part of one of our favorite traditions."

"It also explains why Dad laughed every time we asked to eat cookies by the fire after dinner," Hugo picked up the picture of Ron again. "But it still does not explain this picture. What was Mum up to?"

"I think she was just trying to take care of him the way he had been taking care of her," Rose started to read the letter she had picked up from the stack. _"Harry, I didn't think_

 _I could love her more than I did yesterday …"_

 _Ron was in heaven. He had his favorite witch at his side and she was relaxed in his arms. What more could a wizard want?_

" _Ron, lay down and relax," Hermione said as she shifted in the nest of blankets they had been enjoying. "Let me rub the knots from your shoulders. You have been spending too much time at the lab."_

 _Ron rolled onto his stomach. "Has George been telling on me. I just wanted to get work done so we could spend time together in the evenings."_

" _I know, love," Hermione began to massage Ron's shoulders. "But there is getting work done and then there is working yourself to death. Going in early so you can work a ten-hour day is still working yourself too hard."_

" _Someone needs to keep his big mouth shut about when I get in to work." Ron rolled over and pulled Hermione down to his chest. "No more talking about work. More cookies and kissing."_

 _Ron began to nibble a trail from Hermione's ear to her shoulder. "I think it is your turn to relax, my dear. And get a little more comfortable."_

 _Ron's fingers moved to the waist of Hermione's trousers as he continued to nibble at her skin. "This jumper must be terribly hot. Let me help you take it off so you will be more comfortable."_

 _Pulling away from where she was laying on Ron's chest, Hermione let Ron pull her jumper off. As her jumper fell to the floor, Hermione began to play with the buttons on the front of Ron's shirt. "This shirt looks terribly uncomfortable. Let me help you take it off."_

 _Ron watched as Hermione's nibble fingers freed all of his buttons from their holes and traced a path back up to his chest. Her feather soft touch left a trail of fire that ran straight to his soul. "I love the way you touch me," Ron groaned as Hermione continued to trace fire across his skin._

" _I love the way you look at me," Hermione replied as she traced kisses over Ron's bare chest. "I feel like the only person in the room when you look at me."_

" _That's because you are the only person I care to see in the room," Ron pulled Hermione down to his mouth and nibbled at her lips. "Less talking, more kissing."_

 _Ron rolled them over so that he was cradled in between Hermione's legs. He left a trail of kisses along her collarbone and down the outline of her bra. Hermione forgot how to breathe as Ron sucked her lace covered nipple into his mouth. Time seemed to stop as they explored each other's bodies with eager finger and tongues. Clothes disappeared and bodies melted together as Ron and Hermione created yet another tradition, whispers and satisfaction by the fire._

 _Sleepy and satisfied, Hermione tucked blankets around Ron and settled her head on his chest. "Sweet dreams, Freckles. Take care of my heart because it is yours always."_

Hugo looked out the window as Rose finished ready the last letter in Ron's packet. "I think it is time to turn in for the night. I'm glad they finally found a way to balance everything. I can't imagine them not being together and now I don't have to."

"I never thought about where some of our family traditions came from." Rose stood and stretched as she laid the letter she had been reading back on its proper stack. "I'm glad we are doing this. Mum and Dad don't feel so far away anymore."

"I know what you mean," Hugo hugged his sister and yawned. "I have an early morning at the store tomorrow. Do you want to wait until Saturday to tackle the next couple of sets?"

"That sounds like a good idea. Marcus and the girls want to go to Hyde Park tomorrow and I think we need the break."

Hugo stepped into the Floo. "Until Saturday, Rosie. Love you."

"Until Saturday, Huggie. Love you." Rose whispered as she watched the green smoke clear and stepped into the Floo to head home to her own traditions.

 _ **And I'd choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality,**_

 _ **I'd find you and I'd choose you.**_

 _ **-Kiersten White**_


	8. Chapter 7: Surprise

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

Chapter 7: Surprise

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione (side pairings: Charlie x Pansy, Theo x Blaise, Oliver x Marcus, Draco x Astoria)

Rating: T to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Rose and Hugo have been brought to laughter and tears by their parents' letters to friends, family, and each other. What surprises will the next packet of letters hold?

* * *

 _ **Papers collect around her chair**_

 _ **Plans made and tasks completed**_

 _ **Holidays her greatest adventure**_

 _ **Celebrating hope with him**_

Rose looked around the sitting room of her parents' house. She now understood why they never thought about living anywhere else and why their Floo connected to so many places. Going through the letters and pictures they had found in the trunks had given her an idea. But she need to talk to Hugo about it when he got to the house later in the morning.

Hugo arrived at his parents' house to find his sister sitting on the couch in the sitting room. "Deep in thought this early on Saturday morning Rosie?" Hugo asked as he plopped on the couch beside her.

"I was thinking about the last Christmas with Mum and Dad and how alive this house felt," Rose looked over at Hugo. "I think we need to do it again. Have everyone here for Christmas."

"That sounds like a great idea," Hugo hugged his sister. "I think we need to invite the extended family. Not just the direct cousins but the Flintwoods and the Zabani-Notts."

"Mum always said Christmas was her favorite holiday," Rose looked over at the trunks. "We have time to plan. Right now, we have another packet to look at."

"I am just hoping for fewer surprises with this one," Hugo reached into Ron's trunk and pulled out the next packet. "Lucky number seven, tied with a yellow and blue ribbon. Please, please please, no BIG surprises."

"Relax, Huggie," Rose laughed as she reached into Hermione's trunk to grab the matching packet. "What more could go wrong. If they take much longer to get married, our birth dates will change."

"Not nice, Rosie," Hugo pulled the first letter from his packet. _"Harry, HELP! I don't know that I can do this …"_

 _Ron stared down at the ring in his hands. He had picked it up from The Dragon's Hoard today on his way home from work. Now to keep it tucked away until he could work up the courage to ask her. He was a War Hero. He had faced the Dark Lord before he was old enough to vote. He was petrified of a girl. What was wrong with him? He loved her and wanted to spend forever with her. Her answer to a simple question had the power to wreck him._

" _Ron, I'm home," Hermione announced as she hung her coat by the Floo. "Where are you hiding? We have a Christmas party to plan."_

" _In the bedroom," Ron hollered as he shoved the box with the ring back into the top drawer of his bedside table. "Do we really have to do this? We are already going to the Burrow Christmas Eve. Why do we need to have everyone here?"_

" _Don't be silly, Ronald," Hermione said as she walked into their bedroom. "This is a party for our friends and siblings. It is our first Christmas in our house and I thought it would be nice to show off the cottage and spend time with our friends. Besides, we have friends and family that need a chance to get to know each away from the prying eye and poison pen of a particular reporter."_

" _So, you are saying we need to have a Christmas party at our cottage so you can play matchmaker. Who are we inviting then?" Ron asked as he watched Hermione change out of her work robes. "I know Harry and Ginny, but who else? This house is not like the Burrow. We do have limited space right now."_

" _Just close friends and family," Hermione answered as she held up her hand to count off the guests. "I was thinking definitely Harry and Ginny, let's see - Luna, Neville, Pansy, Theo, George, Oliver, Marcus, and Draco. Can you think of anyone else?"  
_

" _Well, Charlie is going to be in town," Ron added. "I think we should invite him and Blaise, as well. Blaise's law firm has been doing so work for the shop and he seems to need some friends."_

" _That sounds like a good list for our first party at this house," Hermione kissed Ron's cheek as she headed out of the bedroom. "What do you want for dinner? I was thinking spaghetti, salad and garlic bread tonight. I promise to brush my teeth before bed."_

" _Sounds good, love," Ron looked back at the drawer before he left the bedroom. He had an idea about how to ask her. Now all he had to do was keep his nerve._

Hugo put down the letter he had been reading and looked over at his sister. "For a salesman, Dad sure had trouble getting his words right around Mum. It sounds like he is getting ready to propose but he can't find the words."

"And Dad was never at a loss for words," Rose agreed with Hugo as she looked over the picture at the top of her packet. "Look, it is a picture of everyone in this room. I really don't want to know how they got that tree in this room and the people, too."

"Our first Christmas disaster," Hugo read the back of the picture his sister was holding. "How are they all laughing and still call it a disaster? It looks like they had a great time."

"Is that cake in Mum's hair?" Rose asked as she looked at the picture closer. "They look like victims of a sweet shop explosion. Is that Uncle Charlie kissing Aunt Pansy? And Mr. Nott kissing Mr. Zabani? And Mr. Malfoy is actually smiling. Who are these people and what have they done with the people we grew up with?"

"I think that is cake in everyone's hair," Hugo was laughing so hard he could not sit up straight. "I guess this party started a lot of things. I could never bring myself to call them Blaise and Theo like they wanted. Mr. Nott and Mr. Zabini always felt right. Mum asked me one time why I called them and the Malfoy's by their last names instead of their given names. I don't think I ever told her exactly why."

"I know," Rose wiped tears from her eyes. "They were honorary aunts and uncles like Oliver and Marcus, but they were always so proper. I never could call them by their first names."

"I wonder what really happened at that party." Hugo watched the familiar faces of their parents and their friends laugh in the picture his sister was holding. "To bad we never made an extendable ear that could let you listen to what was happening in a picture. This picture would sound amazing."

"Let's see what Mum has to say about all of this," Rose picked up the first letter in her packet. _"Ginny, I need your help to get this party going …"_

 _Hermione looked around the sitting room. Piles of parchment were scattered over every surface and she still had no clue what she was doing. Planning a Christmas party should not be that difficult. But, then again, she had never tried to plan a party with Ron Weasley._

" _What am I doing here?" she mumbled to herself as she picked up the menu she was trying to plan. "I know the food we want to have but there is no way I am going to get all of this cooked in time I need to get people to bring food so I don't have to cook it all."_

" _Hello, anybody home," Ron called as he stepped out of the Floo and into the kitchen. "I brought a Buddhist pizza from Flying Pies for dinner. Anybody want to share with me?"_

" _In the sitting room," Hermione called from her perch among the parchment. "I'm in the sitting room. Grab some plates and bring the pizza in here."_

" _Mione, love, what has happened to the sitting room?" Ron asked as he tried to find a place to set down what he was carrying. "We are planning a small party with friends, not the next wizard invasion of the Muggle world. What is all of this?"_

" _Just a few lists to help keep things straight," Hermione started to shuffle papers so Ron and the pizza had places to sit. "A list for guests and RSVPs, a list of food, a list of supplies, a list of …"_

 _Ron stopped Hermione's list of lists by kissing her. "Stop worrying and kiss me,' he whispered against her lips. "Everything is going to work out fine. Just breathe, love, just breathe."_

" _But I need to get this done," Hermione tried to argue as Ron tucked her head under his chin. "This is our first big event with our friends here. Everything needs to go just right."_

" _It will all be fine, Mione," Ron kissed her forehead and rubbed her shoulder. "Ginny said she and Harry would coordinate the food other than the turkey and Christmas pudding. I got Mum's recipes for both of those things from Ginny and I can cook without blowing up the kitchen."_

" _I know you can, Ronald," Hermione sighed as she relaxed into his embrace. "I just want everything to be perfect. I want our first Christmas in this house to be perfect."_

" _It will be love," Ron nuzzled Hermione's cheek. "Whatever happens, it will be perfect because we are together with our friends. Nothing else matters."_

 _Ron and Hermione sat in the clutter of her planning and ate the pizza Ron had brought home. By the time they had finished dinner, Ron had his marching orders for delivering invitations and a list of foods for Ginny and Hermione was almost relaxed about the whole thing. Maybe she could survive this party after all._

"Mum was a planner," Rose picked up a wrinkled piece of parchment that had fallen out of the letter she was reading. "I know where the cake came from. Pansy is on the list for bringing dessert that is not Christmas pudding."

"I still wish we could have been at that party," Hugo said wistfully. "It looks like they had a grand time. Mum never let us play with dessert like that."

"Grand time or not, I need food," Rose said as she stood up from the couch. "Want to help me fix lunch?"

"Lunch sounds great," Hugo stood up to join his sister in the kitchen. "Anna sent sandwiches and lemonade. All we have to do is unpack the basket."

 _ **Scars forgotten in the light**_

 _ **Plans made and tasks completed**_

 _ **Holidays his greatest adventure**_

 _ **Celebrating hope with her**_

Rose and Hugo gather the remains of their lunch and repacked the picnic basket. "I feel a little more fortified now," Rose looked over at Hugo and patted his stomach.

"Anna has always packed a mean picnic," Hugo answered his sister, "Rosie, are you putting off reading more letters? You know we can't start planning our next move until we finish this set."

"I know," Rose started to walk back into the sitting room. "I think I am going to like the way this set ends, but there is always a twist. I am beginning to think they did it on purpose."

"Did what?" Hugo asked as he settled into the floor in front of Ron's trunk. "Tried to give us a heart attack and question our existence with every packet of letters. Mum had a mean streak and Dad was mischievous but I don't think it was intentional.

"It is just a picture of a relationship," Rose sighed. "I know Marcus and I have had ups and downs and I watched the ups and downs with you and Anna. I just never thought about our parents being so … human"

"But pictures like this tell the story," Hugo picked up a picture from his stack of letters. "I think Dad may have had the best surprise ever for Mum at this party."

"Let me see it, Huggie," Rose tried to snatch the picture from Hugo's hand. "I need to know more than 'I can't believe he actually did it.' What did who do?"

"You can see it after this letter," Hugo tucked the picture under the letter in his hand and began to read. _"Dad, How did you hand over your heart to Mum …"_

 _Ron stood at the kitchen door watching his friends and family gather around the tree in their sitting room. Hermione was busy waving her wand around the room, cleaning cake, cookies and pudding from everything, people, furniture, walls and floors. The Great Dessert Fight had started when Pansy overheard Charlie comment on her jumper. "The invitation said Ugliest Christmas jumper wins a prize, Weasley. So I wore a fashionably ugly jumper and won fair and square. Just because you didn't read the whole invitation, does not mean you can insult me or my victory."_

" _My dear Ms. Parkinson," Charlie had answered as he grabbed a hand full of cake from the tray beside him. "The only reason you won is because you bribed the judge with a gift certificate to your shop. If you truly want to have an Ugly Christmas jumper, I can help you out."_

 _Charlie pressed the cake into the center of Pansy's jumper and began to laugh. "Now, you have the Ugliest Christmas jumper. And the tastiest one, too."_

" _Charlie Weasley, I am going to kill you," Pansy screeched as she reached for cookies from the plate in front of her. "I am never going to get his jumper clean. I. SHOULD. HEX. YOU. INTO. NEXT. YEAR."_

 _With each word she bit out, Pansy threw a cookie at Charlie. But, not every cookie hit Charlie. Ginny got into the fight when she was assaulted with a chocolate chip cookie and Harry laughed. "Potter," Ginny menaced as she grabbed a handful of cake. "Just where do you think you are sleeping tonight? I think there is a couch calling your name."_

 _No one was left out of the battle that followed. Theo and Blaise were talking quietly on the couch when Charlie missed Pansy with a spoonful of Christmas pudding. Theo had trouble containing his laughter as pudding ran down Blaise's forehead. But the laughter stopped when he felt punch pour over his head. Hermione had tried to hide behind the couch but was found by Ginny's 'Orange Balls of Doom' and Ron's jumper was covered in frosting care of his best mate. By the time they had run out of dessert to throw, everyone was laughing and covered in sugar. Pansy and Charlie were trying to wipe cake off each other's jumpers and Theo and Blaise were kissing on one end of the couch while Oliver and Marcus were kissing on the other. Draco had brought Astoria and they were standing, cake crumbs in their hair, by the fireplace trying not to laugh at the chaos in front of them._

" _Now that everyone has enjoyed desert," Ron called from the kitchen door. "I think we need a picture to remember the best Christmas party ever. Everyone grab your partner in crime and gather in front of the tree."_

" _Ron. we are a mess," Hermione protested. "Let us get cleaned up before the picture. It's not like I am going to forget this disaster."_

" _Relax, Mione," Harry dragged her in front of the tree. "This party is perfect. The picture of the participants of the Great Dessert Battle is the cherry on the cake,"_

 _Ron setup the camera and joined everyone in front of the tree. "Everybody in front of the tree … Host and hostess in the center ...Picture on three … One … Two … Three…"_

Oh my goodness," Rose laughed as she looked at the picture that Hugo was holding. "I always wondered why the adults laughed as soon as the dessert came out at the Christmas party. I may never look at Christmas pudding the same again."

"Me either," Hugo smirked as he put the letter he had been reading on the stack of read letters. "But why does Dad look so nervous in this picture? His hand is in his pocket and he hated having his picture taken like that."

"I have no idea," Rose took a closer look at the picture. "It looks like he is trying to pull something out of his pocket. You don't think this is when he proposed, do you?"

"Surely not," Hugo shook his head. "Mum would have killed him for doing that while she was covered in dessert. Surely, he had more sense than that."

"We are talking about Dad, when it came to Mum, he didn't always make sense," Rose sighed as she picked up the next letter from her packet. _"Mummie, You are never going to believe what that loveable fool did …"_

 _Hermione was turned to look at the camera as it flashed and captured the aftermath of the Great Dessert Battle. The laughter in the room filled her heart with joy and the mess could be cleaned up easily. She had not had this much fun in a long time. She didn't know what it was, but the Christmas season always seemed to have a special sense of magic about it._

 _Movement to her left caught her eye. As she turned to see what was going on, Ginny gasped. "Ronald Weasley, what are you doing?"_

 _Hermione felt a tug on her left hand as she watched Ron pull a small box from his pocket and get down on one knee. "Hermione Jean Granger, would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife. I have loved you for as long as I can remember and I want to love you for the rest of forever."_

 _Time stood still as he waited for her answer. Hermione had never looked more beautiful to him, complete with cake in her hair and tears in her eyes. The laughter stopped as their friends realized what was happening. Ron opened the box and pulled out the ring he had been hiding for a month. Placing it on her finger, Ron asked again, "Hermione, will you marry me?"_

 _Hermione stared down at her hand like it was not her own. Ron had asked her to marry him and was sliding a beautiful ring on her finger. All she could do was stare at him and cry. For the first time in anyone's memory, Hermione Jean Granger was speechless. She just nodded her head yes and let the tears roll down her cheeks._

 _Ron stood and cupped her face in his hands. "I love you Mione," Ron kissed her gently and pulled her into his chest. "Even if you are covered in cake and cookies."_

 _While Ron and Hermione hugged and kissed in front of the tree. Harry quietly took pictures and Ginny passed out cups of butter beer. "Raise a glass," Charlie declared as he pulled Pansy in for a quick kiss. "To Hermione and Ron. May every Christmas be as blessed as this one… and thank you for a Christmas none of us will ever forget."_

 _Echoes of "To Ron and Hermione," filled the room as friends and family celebrated Hermione's answer to Ron's Christmas question._

'I always wondered how he proposed to Mum," Rose set her letter down and picked up the picture that had been underneath it. "Dad's timing was perfect. Just look at them."

"They were still looking at each other like that at the end," Hugo said as he looked at the picture of the newly engaged couple. "Dad never told me how he proposed. He just told me that it was the sweetest moment in their history."

"Speaking of sweets, I could go for a snack," Rose got up from the couch and headed for the kitchen. "Ready for some Wonder Bars, little brother?"

 _ **I bet if we dusted her heart for fingerprints, we'd only find yours.**_

 _ **Rudy Francisco**_


	9. Chapter 8: Bells

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

Chapter 8: Bells

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione

Rating: T to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Finally, Hugo and Rose get to the packets that go beyond dating. What will things be like when Ron and Hermione hear wedding bells?

* * *

 ** _Papers flutter around her head_**

 ** _Risks taken and promises given_**

 ** _Forever her greatest adventure_**

 ** _Building love with him_**

Hugo walked into the sitting room and settled in the floor near Hermione's trunk. Looking in the trunk, he was surprised how few packets were left in the trunk. "Looks like we are getting close to the end of this adventure, Rosie."

"Just because we finish with the packets doesn't mean the adventure is over," Rose reminded her brother as she settled in the floor in front of Ron's trunk. "We still have to decide what to do with the letters and the house when we are done."

"It looks like there are three packets left to look at," Hugo reached into Hermione's trunk and pulled out the next packet. "Want to take bets on what is in this set?"

"Not worth the sickles it would cost you, Huggie," Rose said as she looked at her packet. "Packet eight is tied with gold and burgundy ribbon. My money's on their wedding."

"I think your right," Hugo pulled on the ribbons on his packet. "I remember seeing Mum and Dad's wedding album when we were younger. Her dress was burgundy with gold trim."

"So very Gryffindor of her," Rose said as she opened her packet. "Mum was never one to do things the traditional way. I wonder where their wedding album ended up?"

"I'm sure Mum put it somewhere safe," Hugo voice drifted out of Hermione's trunk. "Like under packet number eight in her trunk. We are going to have to look at this after we read the letters."

"Definitely," Rose ran her hand over the leather bound book of pictures. "I think we need to share this with our families at Christmas."

"We can plan that when we finish with this task," Hugo unfolded the first letter in his packet. _"My darling, Today is the first day of our grandest adventure …."_

 _Hermione stood in Ron's old room at the Burrow and looked out the window. Somewhere in the field beyond the window, friends and family were putting final touches on the tent by the pond. She was getting married today. Her dress was hanging on the closet door and her stomach was full of butterflies. She had no idea why she was so nervous. It was a perfect fall day and Molly and her mum had everything in hand. All Hermione had to do was put on her dress and walk to the pond. Ron would be waiting for her there. Today, they were promising to be a team for the rest of their lives. No big deal, right?_

 _Ginny knocked on the door as Hermione stared out the window. "Hermione, why are you not in your dress? The ceremony starts in an hour and we still have to do your hair. Mum is bringing up your bouquet in a few minutes." Ginny walked into the room and put her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "He is just as nervous as you are. Harry has had to stop him from coming up the stairs three times already. It's time to put my brother out of his misery."_

 _"What if I am not good at being a wife? What if I mess this up again? I almost lost him once because I could not figure out how to balance everything in my life. What if I do it again?" Hermione continued to ramble as she looked out the window. "I cannot imagine a day without him and it scares me. Am I doing the right thing?"_

 _"I am going to tell you what you told me the day I married Harry and asked the same questions," Ginny turned Hermione from the window and looked her in the eyes. "He LOVES you and you love him. Everything else will work out. Marriage is not easy but it is worth every bump and bruise your heart takes. This risk is worth every reward."_

 _Hermione ran her finger over the fold of the parchment she was holding. "He slipped this under the door some time during the night. I never knew he could write like this. A poem for our wedding day. A beautiful poem that showed me his heart." Hermione whispered and handed the parchment to Ginny. "I think I am ready to do this. Help me get my dress on, please."_

 _Ginny followed Hermione over to the closet. "Gryffindor colors for a wedding gown. How traditional of you, Hermione Granger. Won't Ronald be surprised."_

 _"I fell in love with it when I saw it," Hermione took the gown off its hanger and handed it to Ginny. "You are going to have to lace me in this thing after I figure out how to get it on. I have never seen so many layers on a dress before. Pansy did a great job with it."_

 _Hermione and Ginny spent the next few minute laughing as they tried to get Hermione into her dress. They finally got all the layer of burgundy fabric settled into the right places and Ginny began to use the gold ribbon to lace up the back of the dress. "He is going to forget to breath when he sees you, Mione." Ginny smoothed her hands over the golden ivy leaves embroidered down the gown's train. "Hair up or down? I don't see a veil."_

 _"Hair pulled back from my face but hanging loose down my back. No veil. It was just too much with the dress." Hermione answered Ginny's questions as she looked in the mirror on the back of the closet door. "I guess it is time to go down. Where is my bouquet?"_

 _"Mum left it on the kitchen table," Ginny took peeked out of the bedroom door. "Everyone else is at the pond. Time to pick up your bouquet of yellow roses and forget-me-nots and go meet your groom."_

 _"Time to get married," Hermione whispered and headed out to join her life to Ron's._

Hugo set down Hermione's letter. "Wow. Mum was really nervous. I never saw her nervous about anything."

"It is strange to think of her being nervous about anything," Rose picked up the first letter in her packet. "But they were getting married. I know I had butterflies the day I married Marcus."

"You could have knocked me over with a feather waiting on Anna they day we got married," Hugo smiled at the memory. "Dad was always the nervous one when we were trying something new. I wonder what was going through is head."

"Poetry apparently," Rose giggled. _"My love, Today you are making my greatest wish come true …"_

 _Ron stood at the back of the tent they had set up at the edge of the pond. He was getting married in less than an hour. As he looked across the pond, Ron thought about all the bumps and bruises they had gone through over their relationship. Buying a house together had been a big step but, this was bigger. Making promises that had to last a lifetime._

 _"Sickle for your thoughts, mate," Harry came up and stood behind Ron. "Ginny has gone to check on Mione and it is time for you to finish getting ready."_

 _Harry helped Ron into his tweed suit jacket and smoothed down the lapels. "Does this look alright? Mum wanted me to go with dress robes but Mione picked this out. She said it would go better with the dress she is wearing but no one has seen."_

 _"You look fine," Harry tucked a yellow rose wrapped with burgundy and gold ribbon into his button hole. "Knowing Hermione the way we do, everything will be the way it should be. I have never seen so many owls fly between houses as I have seen over the last eight months."_

 _"Am I ready for this?" Ron asked Harry as he reached into his jacket for a piece of parchment. "Pig brought this to me this morning. It's a letter from her. I am not worthy of the love that she has for me."_

 _"If there is anyone in this world that is worth the love Hermione has for them," Harry clasps Ron on the shoulder. "It's you, mate. You two have been twined together since our first year at Hogwarts. You found each other during the darkest time in our world and you have fought to build a relationship that can stand up to the world around you."_

 _"But, is it enough?" Ron stared out over the pond and rubbed his finger along the crease in the parchment. "What if I screw this up? I have never needed for something to turn out right so much in my life."_

 _"You are not going to screw this up," Harry turned Ron to face him. "You are my first and best friend and I would never lie to you. This is right and good and perfect. You are the other half of her soul and she is the other half of yours. Breathe, Ron. You are going to make a great husband."_

 _"My handsome boys," Molly walked up to Ron and Harry and kissed them each on the cheek. "It is time to take your places. The girls are on their way here from the house. Time to add another daughter to the family."_

 _Harry followed Ron to the flower-covered arch at the front of the tent. Clasping his hands together, Ron turned to watch the back of the tent. It was amazing to him that a lifetime of hopes and dreams came down to waiting for a girl to meet him at the front of a tent by a pond. Ron looked up as music began to float down from the top of the tent._

 _Ron didn't remember much of the ceremony after he saw Hermione at the back of the tent in her Gryffindor colored dress. He knew he promised to love and care for her for the rest of their lives. And he heard her promise the same. He felt the weight of the gold band she had slipped onto his finger and he loved to watch the light flash off the band of diamonds he placed on her finger. He did actually remember to breathe after he kissed her. Hermione was his and he... He was hers … Forever._

Rose set down the letter she had been reading and picked up the picture that had fall out. "Look at Dad. He looks like he has found the answer to every question. I never knew eyes could actually sparkle like that."

"The moment time stopped," Hugo read off the back of the picture Rose was holding. "This must be the moment Mum walked into the tent. Dad stilled looked at her that way thirty years later."

"May we both be so lucky," Rose sighed as she picked up the next letter. "We did have a good example to follow."

 ** _Scars heal around his heart_**

 ** _Risks taken and promises given_**

 ** _Forever his greatest adventure_**

 ** _Building love with her_**

Hugo stood up to stretch. "When did this floor get so uncomfortable? I used to be able to sit here for hours and not feel like I had been beaten with a stick."

"When we got old enough to have children of our own, little brother," Rose answered with a smirk. "That is why I am taking my letter and moving to the couch."

"Don't hog the whole thing, Rosie." Hugo grabbed his letters from the floor and plopped on to the couch beside his sister. "These old bones need a soft space to settle, too. Not my fault you are ancient."

"I am not ancient, Huggie." Rose huffed. "Gram was ancient. If I am lucky enough to live as long as our parents or their parents, I'll be satisfied."

"Enough talk of ancient beings, more reading," Hugo raised up the next letter in his packet. _"Ginny, Words can never express how much I appreciate everything you have done to make today perfect …"_

 _Hermione sank into her chair at the head table. Today had been perfect. Her husband was the most handsome man in the room and she had to keep pinching herself. It still felt like a dream. She was married to her best friend. He was across the tent right now talking to Charlie and Pansy. It amazed her how easy their relationship with those two had become. Pansy should not be one of her dear friends, but she was. Ron had been the one to introduce Charlie and Pansy and he was pretty sure there was a proposal in their future. Life was good._

 _Hermione shut her eyes and listened to the happiness around her. Music filled the tent but, so did laughter and conversations. This is what every day should be like. "Can I have this dance, Mrs. Weasley?" Ron's deep voice filled her ears._

 _"Why. Mr. Weasley, I would love to dance with you," Hermione turned to kiss Ron. "Lead the way._

 _Ron lead Hermione to the dance floor and twirled her into his embrace. Hermione laid her head on Ron's shoulder as they swayed to the sounds of 'At Last' by Etta James floated down from the ceiling. This was the best place to be, wrapped in the arms of the man she had loved since before she knew what love was. Ron kissed her curls before he put his finger under her chin and tilted her chin up so he could give her a proper kiss. "I love you. Mrs. Weasley. Never let me forget it." Ron whisper against her lips._

 _"How could I let you forget when I love you with all my heart, Mr. Weasley," Hermione sipped at Ron's lips as he danced her across the floor. "Can we leave now? I have made promises and eaten cake. I am ready to start the rest of my life."_

 _"Look around you, love," Ron stopped dancing and turned her in his arms. "The stars are twinkling in the sky and we are standing by our pond. I think it is time to call it an evening."_

 _"Do you want to say goodbye?" Hermione asked as she watched the stars in the sky. "I am supposed to throw the bouquet in a few minutes but, I think I have a spell for that."_

 _"I told the DJ to give us ten minutes to get away and then call for the bouquet toss and garter.," Ron said as he kissed a path from Hermione's ear to her shoulder along her neck. "George set up the spells to drop the bouquet on Pansy and the garter on Charlie. At Charlie's request. I think my big brother is up to something."_

 _"That sounds like a perfect plan," Hermione turned her head to the side so Ron had better access to the skin on her neck. "Shall we start our honeymoon now?"_

 _"The Floo awaits, my love," Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and lead her back to the Burrow. "Mum sent our bags earlier today. So, all we have to do is step in the Floo."_

 _"Where are we going, my darling husband?" Hermione asked as they walked in the kitchen of the Burrow. "I really would like to know where I am going to spend the next week."_

 _"Trust me, love," Ron whispered as he wrapped her in his arms inside the Floo. "Queen Anne's Summerhouse…"_

Hugo looked at the back of the picture that had been under the letter he had just finished reading. "Queen Anne's Summer house is my new favorite vacation spot. I guess Mum and Dad really wanted to get away."

"I think they went back there every year for their anniversary," Rose picked up the next letter from her packet. "I just thought we were getting a week of spoiling every year. Gram let it slip when I was a Third Year that they were away on 'another honeymoon' while we stayed at the Burrow."

"I never minded the stay at Gran's," Hugo turned the picture over and set it on the pile of read letters and discovered photographs. "I think I might take Anna there this summer. It looks quiet and peaceful."

"And private. A perfect place for a honeymoon," Rose began to read the next letter from her packet. _"Mate, Thank you for all your help getting the honeymoon together…"_

 _Ron and Hermione arrived at Queen Anne's Summerhouse in a puff of green smoke. Stepping out of the Floo, Ron picked up Hermione and twirled them around the room. "Welcome to your honeymoon, Mrs. Weasley."_

 _Hermione peppered kisses along the underside of Ron's jaw. "So now that you have me to yourself, Mr. Weasley, what are your plans?"_

 _"Hmm … let me think," Ron set Hermione down and walked behind her. "I think I will kiss my wife and then see what happens."_

 _"That sounds like an excellent plan," Hermione pulled her hair over her shoulder to expose the ribbons that held the back of her dress together. "Might is suggest you start with kisses on the back of my neck while you loosen my laces."_

 _"How forward of you, Mrs. Weasley," Ron chuckled as his fingers began to play with the bow tied in the ribbons laced through the back of her dress. "Your wish is my command"_

 _Hermione shivered as she felt Ron's lips press against the skin of her neck. Ron continued a path of kisses down Hermione's spine as he loosened the lacings and her dress fell away from her shoulders. Hermione let her dress drop to the floor as she turned to face Ron. "Any special requests, husband?"_

 _Hermione ran her hands up Ron's chest and pushed his jacket off of his shoulders. "I think we need to make you more comfortable. Don't you agree?"_

 _Ron nodded as Hermione began to unbutton the buttons on his vest. He ran his hands along her sides as she kissed a path from his ear to his lips along his jaw. "I think you would be more comfortable with less clothes." Hermione nibbled at Ron's lips as she slid his vest off his shoulders and started to loosen the buttons on his shirt._

 _"You have very nimble fingers, my love," Ron groaned as Hermione tugged his shirt out of his trousers. "Whatever will I do with you?"_

"Love me," Hermione kisses the words into Ron's chest. "More kissing, less talking, my heart."

 _"As you wish," Ron brushed his lips against Hermione's forehead and pushed her chemise off her shoulders._

 _The summerhouse was filled with the sounds of Ron and Hermione sealing their vows with kisses and touches. Clothing fell to the floor as Hermione and Ron explored each other's bodies as if it was the first time. Lips whispered against skin like promises and fingers touched curves like feathers. Hermione and Ron fell onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and kisses. Ron moaned deep in his throat as Hermione's fingers stroked his hard cock. Hermione lost her hold on Ron as he sucked her drawn nipple into his hot mouth. Soon, teasing nips became demanding kisses and Ron rolled Hermione on her back as he settled between her thighs. No words were need as Ron felt himself slip into her warm pussy. Hermione feathers kisses from his shoulder to his chin as the filled her._

 _"Mione, I love you," Ron whispered as he began to move. "You are my home."_

 _Hermione could not find her voice as her body wound tighter and tighter with Ron's touches and kisses. She could feel herself falling over the edge as Ron slid deeper. Hermione shuddered as she fell over the edge and into bliss. With a final push, Ron collapsed against her and enjoyed the aftermath of their fall. When he could gather enough energy to move, Ron rolled to the side of Hermione, pulling her against his chest and wrapping her in his arms. Ron fell asleep curled around his very satisfied wife and dreamed of their next adventure._

"We had a good example to follow, didn't we," Rose asked Hugo as she set down the last letter from her packet. "I hope we have left the kind of example for our children that our parents left for us."

"Only time will tell, "Hugo kissed his sister on the cheek and check his watch. "Speaking of time, it is time for me to go home. My munchkins have secret plans that involve me. I might need to go home and make sure they are not going to set the house on fire."

"Too much of Uncle George in them?" Rose laughed as she stood up from the couch. "Marcus has reservations for us and babysitting arranged. I guess I should get going too."

"Same time tomorrow?" Hugo asked as he stepped into the Floo. "We only have two packets left to open."

"Sounds good," Rose hugged Hugo and stepped back. "Give my love to everyone."

In a puff of green smoke, Hugo Floo'd home and Rose took his place. "Home."

 ** _Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres._**

 ** _Love never fails…._**

 ** _And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love._**

 ** _1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, 13_**


	10. Chapter 9: Babies

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

Chapter 9: Babies

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione

Rating: T to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Rose and Hugo think they know what the next packet holds. Could packets tied in blue and pink mean anything else?

* * *

 _ **Papers forgotten on her desk**_

 _ **Sleep forgotten and cries answered**_

 _ **Little feet her greatest adventure**_

 _ **Growing a family with him**_

It was Sunday afternoon and Hugo was looking at another packet of letters. They were almost at the end of the story their parents had left them and the story had been quite a ride. He really wasn't sure that he wanted the ride to end but he was pretty sure he knew most of the rest. Mum and Dad got married in the last packet so they were almost to the part of the story where he and Rose made an appearance. Hugo settled into the couch with packet nine from Ron's trunk on his lap to wait for his sister.

Rose hung her coat on the hook beside the Floo before she walked into the sitting room. Hugo was asleep on the couch with a packet of letters on his lap. "Starting without me, little brother? I didn't know you were that eager to get this over with."

"Whaa … Just waiting for you,' Hugo mumbled as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Just decided to call dibs on Dad's letters today. We are almost to the end."

I know,' Rose said as she pulled the packet labeled nine from Hermione's trunk. "Blue and pink ribbon on this set. Maybe a clue to what this packet is about?"

"That would be my guess," Hugo played with the ribbon on his packet. "They have fought, loved, moved in together and gotten married. What else is left?"

"Babies and old age," Rose sat beside Hugo on the couch. "We know the stuff between those two events because we lived them with Mum and Dad."

"My bet is on babies," Hugo smiled and pulled the ribbons. "No time like the present to find out. Open yours so we can get this show on the road."

"Okay, oh mighty impatient one," Rose pulled on her ribbons. "There is a picture on top of my stack. The ribbons were definitely a clue."

"It looks like Dad is kissing Mum's very pregnant belly." Hugo held up his first letter. _"Hello little one, I cannot wait to meet you …"_

 _Hermione was going to die. She had been throwing up every morning for the last week. She was also being stubborn. Ron wanted her to see a Healer about her stomach. "Mione, you should not be this sick every morning. Please go see the Healer. Please."_

 _Hermione was finally able to leave the loo and get ready for the day. She only had a few things to do at the office and then she could come home and go back to bed. Looking at the clock on the mantle, she realized that she was going to be late for her meeting with Draco to coordinate cases between the Aurors and MLE. Grabbing a piece of parchment and calling for Pig, Hermione scratch a quick not "Running late. Be there by 11am. - H"_

 _Hermione looked at the note before she sealed it. "Running late … running late … RUNNING LATE," Hermione collapsed onto the couch and the note fell to the floor. Hermione wasn't just late for a meeting with Draco. She was going to have to make a stop at the chemists to get a test but she was fairly certain why she was getting sick every morning. With shaky hands, Hermione managed to send Pig to Draco with her message and gather her things. She had work to do._

 _Ron was surprised to see Hermione sitting on the couch when he got home. She was supposed to be working late tonight because she had been going in late all week. "Love, why are you home so soon? Are you feeling okay? Look at me, Mione." Ron placed a finger under her chin and made her look him in the eye._

" _Nothing's wrong, my dear," Hermione answered and gave him a tired smile. "I decided to come home early and try to rest. See if that would help my stomach settle."_

" _Did it work?" Ron asked, concern coloring his voice. "I worry when you look this tired. Did you go see the Healer?"_

" _No need to see the Healer right now," Hermione said as she handed Ron a slender box. "But you will need to take next Tuesday off. I have somewhere to go and I want you to come with me."_

" _Going with you next Tuesday is no problem, love," Ron sunk to his knees in front of Hermione and kissed her gently. "What's this? Did I forget an anniversary?"_

" _Not exactly, dear heart," Hermione sighed and returned Ron's kisses. "Just open the box. It has the answer to all your questions."_

 _Ron looked at the box he held in his hand. Slowly, he untied the ribbon around the box and lifted the lid. Staring down into the box, Ron asked, "Why is there a white stick in this box? What does a stick have to do with you being sick? The only white sticks shaped like this are … Mione, are you … are we … " Ron dropped the box and reached for the hem of Hermione's jumper. Gently lifting it, Ron placed a shaking hand against Hermione's stomach._

 _Bending forward, Ron whispered kisses along the path his hand has trace. "Hello little one …"_

Rose was furiously wiping tears from her cheeks as Hugo finished reading the letter. "Oh my, Dad was the sweetest. I never thought about how they would feel when they found out I was coming."

Hugo turned over the picture Rose had found on top of her stack of letters "Not much longer little one. I will love you to the moon and back… Dad."

"I never knew these letters existed," Rose leafed through the stack on her lap. "It looks like Mum wrote letters to both of us through each of her pregnancies. I always wondered why she encouraged me to write letters while I was waiting for omy little ones to arrive."

"Anna kept a journal with each of her pregnancies," Hugo wiped a stray tear from Rose's cheek. "I wrote a letter to each of my little ones the night that Anna told me they were coming."

"I may have to get you to finish reading this one," Rose looked at Hugo as she picked up the first letter in her stack. _"My precious surprise, Please forgive your Mum for being a little slow in realizing you were on the way …"_

 _Ron had settled Hermione into their bed after a quiet dinner. She seemed to droop with the excitement of the day and he wanted to make sure she was rested. Ron stared out the windows and let his thoughts race around his head. He could not believe the gift he had been given. He was going to be a father. Ron watched the stars twinkle in the night sky. Life was good._

 _Ron suddenly felt tired. All the worry of the last few weeks and the surprise of Hermione's announcement finally caught up with him. Pulling back the covers, Ron joined Hermione in their bed. He curled around her as she mumbled in her sleep. "Rest, love. I'm right here,' Ron said as he settled her head onto his shoulder. "Just rest. We are going to wish for it soon enough."_

 _Ron spent the next hour watching his pregnant wife sleep. His pregnant wife. How could the Fates seen to have blessed his with a beautiful and brilliant witch of a wife and given him the greatest treasure a man could ever have, a child? He could not seem to stop touching her flat stomach. His imagination let him envision her with a little baby bump and then an even bigger bump. Hermione rolled away from his side on resettled facing the wall. Ron curled around her, wrapping her in his arms. He kissed her wild curls and place his hand over her stomach. "Go to sleep little one, I love you and your mum."_

 _The next morning, Ron and Hermione began planning how to tell their friends and family that they were expecting. The one thing they could agree on was waiting until the baby's due date and health had been confirmed by the Healer before telling anyone she was pregnant. Hermione wanted a little more time to process everything before Hurricane Gram entered their life. They could not agree on whether to find out the gender of the baby. Hermione wanted to know as soon as possible so that she could plan. Ron wanted to wait and be surprised. His argument almost made sense. "Mione, some of the best things in my life were the results of surprises. Why would I change the trend by not letting this little one surprise us with who he or she will turn out to be."_

" _I am not spending the next seven months calling this child it," Hermione grumbled as she stalked down the hall to the bathroom. "Come up with a nickname that we can use until the baby gets here if you are going to be stubborn about this. I am going to go into the bathroom and hug the loo until my stomach decides to be civil."_

 _Ron managed to keep from laughing until the door closed. "I heard that … oh Merlin, make it stop …" drifted from the bathroom._

 _Ron ran to the kitchen to wet a washcloth and get a glass of ginger beer and some crackers. He did remember Ginny talking about how it helped settle her stomach when she was pregnant with James. He was going to have to talk to Harry soon about what it was like to live with a pregnant woman. He was going to have to figure out a lot of things really soon._

"I have just become a huge watering pot," Rose sniffled as she put the letter she was reading on the stack of letters that had already been read. "The ups and downs of bringing life into the world. I think every mother feels this way waiting for their first little one."

"Don't leave out the dads," Hugo said as he took a picture off the top of his stack. It was a picture of Hermione looking out the window of their bedroom and rubbing her swollen belly. "All my dreams and wishes wrapped up in one package. Are we sure Dad didn't catch some of Mum's pregnancy hormones?"

"No. Dad was just always sentimental," Rose said as she got up from the couch. "I need a snack. How about you, little brother?"

"I could use a break and a snack," Hugo answered as he followed Rose into the kitchen. "Do you have a blue ribbon sticking out of the middle of your stack? I do and it looks like is there as a divider."

"I'll look when we finish this snack," Rose took a sip of her lemonade. "I'm sure they have a reason if it is there. Blue and pink around the outside of the packet, blue ribbon in the middle. I'm sure there is a purpose."

 _ **Scars traced on his hands**_

 _ **Sleep forgotten and cries answered**_

 _ **Little feet his greatest adventure**_

 _ **Growing a family with her**_

Hugo and rose spent the next hour reading and laughing over the letters their parents had written to Rose before she was born. Ron had one the battle to keep the baby's gender a surprise and Hermione still managed to plan her way to a Gryffindor themed nursery that would have worked for a boy or girl. Matter of fact, there were pictures of baby Rose asleep in her crib, curled around a stuffed quaffle.

"Mum did let Dad have some input in the nursery," Hugo laughed at his sister hugging the plush quaffle. "There is no way Mum would have put anything broom or quidditch related into her child's room. I don't think I can think of a time when she didn't turn pale as a ghost at the mention of a broom ride."

"I remember having to chase you down to get my quaffle back," Rose laughed as she set the picture on the growing pile. "I think I am taking this one home the frame and set on the mantle."

"I've reached my blue ribbon, Rosie," Hugo stopped laughing and picked up the letter under the ribbon. "Have you reached yours? Why am I so nervous about opening a letter?"

"I'm at my ribbon, too," Rose lifted the ribbon and set a finger on the letter below it. "You are nervous because these letters are probably about you. And all these letter have come with pictures. I remember baby Hugo."

"Time to find out what is really here," Hugo opened the first letter and began to read. _"My little spark, Please treat your Mum well …"_

 _Ron watched Hermione sprint from the bed and head for the loo. It was 6 am. Ron's sleepy brain began to connect dots. The last time Hermione ran to the loo before the sun was above the horizon, the healer had informed them that she was two months pregnant. "Wait a minute, the last time this happened …" Ron sat straight up in bed._

" _Love, are you okay?" Ron rolled out of bed and began to walk to the bathroom. "I'm going to get a wet cloth and some ginger beer."_

" _Oh … Merlin … no food …" Hermione groaned from the bathroom. "Call ... the … Healer … "_

" _I will call Mum and the Healer as soon as you are back in bed," Ron said as he set the glass of ginger beer and pack of crackers on the bedside table. "I think we both know what the Healer is going to say. There is only one other time in our lives that you have been sick like this."_

" _I am not pregnant, Ronald Weasley," Hermione looked up at her smiling husband as he bent down to hold her hair back from her face. "It is not in my long term plan. Rose has to be older before we have another child. All the books say three to four years is the best age gap for siblings."_

" _You, my beautiful, stubborn witch, have made the dash for the loo every morning this week," Ron gently pick up Hermione and carried her back to their bed. "You are pregnant. Drink your ginger beer to settle your stomach and go back to sleep. I have Floo calls to make."_

 _Ron wandered into Rose's nursery after making a call to his mum. Walking over to the crib that held his sleeping daughter, Ron watched her snuffle and roll over. "Hello Princess Prickle Pants. Mum is not feeling good so you are going to spend the day with your Gram."_

 _Ron moved around the cottage quietly as he gathered the things Rose would need for her day at the Burrow. He might even try to talk his mum into keeping Rose overnight. Who was he kidding? He was going to have to kidnap his own child from his mother tomorrow night. But, he was not going to complain. That meant more time for him to enjoy celebrating a new baby with Hermione._

 _After he called the Healer, Ron woke up Rose and got her ready for the day. Hermione was still sleeping and knew she need her rest. "Kiss Mum on the cheek, Princess. It's time to go see Gram," Ron lowered Rose so she could place a wet kiss on her mother' cheek. "Morning baby," Hermione mumbled as Ron kissed her forehead._

" _Go back to sleep, love," Ron whispered as he straightened. "Mum is keeping Rose for us and you have an appointment with the Healer at 11. I'll be back in a flash."_

 _Hermione snuggled deeper into the covers and rolled away from Ron. "I'm not pregnant, you stubborn wizard … it's not in the plan right now …"_

 _Ron closed the door quietly before he began to chuckle. He grabbed Rose's day bag from the table by the Floo. "Time to see Gram. Mum is going to be a really grumpy witch later. The Burrow."_

 _Ron and Rose disappear in a puff of green smoke, leaving Hermione to dream of plans and possibilities._

Hugo set down the letter he had been reading. "How is it that Dad figured it out before Mum? It sounds like she just refused to believe what was right in front of her because it did not fit her plan."

"Mum was always a firm believer in sticking to a plan once it had been made," Rose sighed and opened the letter she had been holding. "She hated having to change things in the middle of a plan. She would start grumbling about Weasley men and their infuriating ability to destroy her perfectly laid plans every time something had to be changed in her master plan.

"Well, at least Dad and I were predictable," Hugo started to chuckle. "Need a plan destroy, just give us a ring. We will blow that thing out of the water."

"I don't think Mum shared your enthusiasm," Rose started to read the letter she held in her hand. _"My unexpected little one, I guess you are my reminder that life never goes as we plan …"_

 _Hermione stared down at the test the Healer had sent her to the bathroom to take. She had to be seeing things. There could not be two lines on that little stick. Her husband was not right. She had a plan, by Merlin, and this was not penciled in for at least another year._

" _Mrs. Weasley, are you okay?" the Healer called through the door. "I need you to come out of there and hand me the test. You cannot hide in her forever. We have plans to make based on what that test says."_

 _Hermione slowly opened the door and handed the test to the Healer. "I hate it when he is right," she mumbled as the Healer escorted her back to the examination room._

" _Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.," the Healer beamed as she closed the examination room door. "It looks like Rose is going to become a big sister in the fall. Stop by the reception desk on your way out set up your first prenatal visit in six weeks. Ginger beer and crackers by the bedside table will help with the morning sickness until it passes and get plenty of rest."_

" _Thank you," Ron shook the healer's hand as he gathered Hermione into his arms. "I think I am going to take her home and put her back to bed. I think Hermione has had enough excitement for the day."_

 _Hermione did not remember much about the trip home. Ron dusted her off as they stepped out of the Floo and pointed her in the direction of their bedroom. "Back to bed with you. I'm going to bring you a cup of tea before I Floo Mum."_

" _Tea sounds good," Hermione sat down on their bed and took off her shoes. "Maybe if I go back to sleep, I will wake up from this nightmare. Plans are meant to be followed, Ronald."_

" _Love, babies don't follow plans," Ron set her cup of tea on the bedside table and lifted the covers. "Back to bed with you. Healers orders."_

" _I am not sleepy, dear heart," Hermione tried to argue with Ron as he tucked her under the covers. "But if you insist, I guess a nap won't hurt."_

 _Ron stood at the door until he heard Hermione sigh in her sleep. She was going to stubborn about this pregnancy, but he was ready for it. He dropped a handful of green powder and stuck his head in the Floo, "Hello, Mum … You'll never guess what the Healer said …"_

Hugo and Rose set the last of the letters on the stack in front of them Hugo picked up the last picture from his packet. It was a picture of three hands touching a pregnant belly. He turned it over and read the back. "Just saying hello to our little spark. I'm taking this one home to frame. I love what Dad wrote on the back of it."

"That sounds fair," Rose said as she looked up at the clock. "It's getting late. Want to wait until next Saturday to do the last package?"

"Okay, big sister," Hugo stood and kissed his sister cheek. "Until Saturday …"

" _ **The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." and so in you the child your mother lives on and through your family continues to live… so at this time look after yourself and your family as you would your mother for through you all she will truly never die."**_

 _ **-Osho**_

" _ **A man does not need to be flawless to be a perfect father, but the commitment to his family is a precious responsibility."**_

 _ **-Paul Young**_


	11. Chapter 10: Fading Away

A/N: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH - this chapter address the reasons why Ron and Hermoine filled the trunks with photographs and memories.

Thank you to all my wonderful readers and reviewers for joining me on this ride. This is the final chapter of the story and probably the most difficult to write because of the subject. There are two epilogues to this story: the poem and the letters … Keep reading 3

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

Chapter 10: Fading Away

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione

Rating: T to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Rose and Hugo have reached the final packet of letters. How will the last letters change the children's view of their parents' love story?

* * *

 _ **Papers filled with her memories**_

 _ **Lives lived and sorrows forgotten**_

 _ **Letting go her greatest adventure**_

 _ **Finding peace with him**_

Hugo and Rose stood in the kitchen, staring into the sitting room. "Are you ready for this, little brother?" Rose asked as she waited for the courage to enter the room.

"As ready as I will ever be," Hugo answered and grabbed her hand. "We know the middle of their story. I'm just not sure I want to know the end."

"Me either," Rose took a reluctant step into the sitting room. "Might as well get it over with. Did you bring tissue?"

Hugo reached into his pocket and pulled out two small tissue packs. "Anna made sure they were in my pocket before I left. Time to rip off the bandage."

Hugo and Rose walked over to their parents'' trunks. Hugo reached into Hermione's trunk and pulled out the last packet. It was tied with gold and silver ribbon. A note was tied in the ribbon.

"Well, this is different," Rose untied the note from the packet. "Why did Mum put this one on the outside? What was so important that it could not wait until we opened this packet like all the others?"

"I think we are going to need to sit down for this one," Hugo guide Rose to the couch and made she was settled before he handed her the packet from Hermione' trunk. "Let me get the packet from Dad' trunk and then we can sit together and read their last letters."

"Dad's packet has as note on the outside, too," Hugo took the note off the front of the package as he settled in beside his sister. "I don't know that I can do this. Are we brave enough to do this?"

"There is only one way to find out. Start reading." Rose opened the note from Hermione's package and began to read:

" _My darling children,_

 _This is our last gift to you. The part that we didn't let you see when it was happening. The hardest part of living and loving is letting go. Letting go will be easy for me. The reason your father and I created these packets was so that we could let you see how much we loved each other and you. Today was not a good day. Today we found out that my little lapses in memory are only going to get worse. I am going to slowly forget everything, including your father, our story and our greatest treasures, you and your children. Your father will act strong. Don't be fooled. I found his letters. He is the glue that has always held me together and he will be the glue that holds you together when I am gone. But you will need to be his glue. He is hoping that this little project will save my memories for a little longer. It won't but I am going to let him think that. He has spent a lifetime taking care of me and I have done the same for him. I love you both._

 _Remember me,_

 _Mum"_

"She wrote this more than three months before they told us," Rose looked a Hugo as the note fell from her fingers. "Why would they keep this from us for so long? We could have helped more?"

"Because it is the way they have always been," Hugo used a tissue to wipe the tears from Rose's cheeks. "Mum needed a plan before she could accept anything and move forward. Dad needed to let Mum plan so he could take care of her if things fell apart."

"I don't quite think Mum planned for Dad to leave first," 'Rose whispered. "I can't do this, Huggie. It feels like we are losing them all over again."

"Yes, you can do this, Rosie," Hugo hugged his sister tightly before settling her back on the couch. "Look at how much of them we have gotten back from their letters and photographs. We are not losing them again. We are finding them and keeping their memories alive for our children and the generations that follow."

"How are we going to do that?" Rose closed her eyes as she waited for her brother's answer. "How do we take this collection of letters and pictures and make it into something that makes sense? How do we preserve what we have found?"

"I think the answer is in Dad's letter," Hugo said, clearing his throat.

" _My dearest Prickle Pants and Little Terror,_

 _Your mother is not doing well. For only the second time in her life, a Healer has given her news she was not quite prepared for. Your mother is going to lose her memory and fade from us. This project is my way of helping her accept what is coming and hopefully keep her going when I am gone. I could not bring myself to tell her that I am going ahead to make a place for her. I found out two weeks ago that I have a tumor on my heart. It cannot be removed and it will soon cause my heart to fail. Take care of your mother. I have made arrangements with Flourish and Botts to have the contents of these trunks bound into books after you have read them. Just return the letters and pictures to their number bundles and take the bundles to them. Everything is taken care of._

 _Rosie, the cottage is yours. You are the historian of our family. Keep it alive here and add to it. I love you, Princess._

 _Hugo, the business is yours. I am so proud of what you have done to help George and me. Don't ever stop challenging yourself. I love you, my boy._

 _Mischief Managed,_

 _Dad"_

"He knew," Hugo felt his stomach drop as he looked over at Rose. "He knew he was sick. He never said a word. Two weeks after he wrote this, he told me he was going to take a nap in his office and never work up. He knew and he didn't tell us."

"Would it have changed anything?" Rose ask as she wiped the tears from her brother's eyes. "Would it have made it any easier? He knew it wouldn't. He was taking care of all of us until the very last."

"Why am I angry?" Hugo asked Rose. "In my head, I understand what both of them did but, my heart is breaking all over again."

"So is mine, little brother," Rose looked down at the packet in her lap. "But, look at the gift they left us. We are so lucky."

"We are lucky, big sister," Hugo played with the ribbon on his packet. "We have each other and the echoes of our parents. I guess it is time to be brave. On the count of three, we pull the ribbons … One … Two … Three …"

 _ **Scars map out his memories**_

 _ **Lives lived and sorrows forgotten**_

 _ **Letting go his greatest adventure**_

 _ **Finding peace with her**_

Hugo stared at the picture on top of his packet of letters. It was the picture that had been on Ron's desk at the lab. It was his favorite picture. Dad had taken the picture of Hugo with his mother and sister as they walked along the beach in Brighton the summer before his last year at Hogwarts. "These are a few of my favorite things," Hugo read the inscription of the back of the picture before he picked up the first letter. "I had no idea he had even taken this picture until I started working with him in the lab. He was always sneaking pictures of Mum."

"And she was always sneaking pictures of him," Rose showed Hugo the picture from the top of her packet. "She took this picture of us the day we both took the train to Hogwarts. I remember Dad pulling us into that hug and whispering to keep out of trouble."

"To bad we forgot to listen," Hugo began to smile. "I still remember Uncle Harry handing me the Marauder's Map. That map did keep us out of trouble."

Hugo looked closer at the picture. "Isn't this the picture that Mum kept on her desk at the Ministry? I think I saw it in every office we ever visited her in."

"It is," Rose picked up the first letter from her packet. "Who's going first this time?"

"I'll do it," Hugo's voice cracked as he started to read. _"Mione, You are never going to believe what George and Hugo did today …"_

 _Ron looked up from his desk when he heard the explosion. He was in his office at the lab so it was not unusual to hear a boom or two. What was unusual was George. He was covered in glitter. "George, do I want to know what just happened?" Ron eyed his brother with both concern and amusement._

" _Not really, but it is all Hugo's fault," George answered with a shrug. "He wanted change the trigger charm on the Glitter Bombs. I think it may be a little too strong.  
_

" _Is Hugo still in one piece?" Ron asked, raising an eyebrow as he saw Hugo peep around the door frame. "His mother and fiancée would not appreciate a loss of life or limb."_

" _I'm fine, Dad," Hugo shook glitter from his hair as he walked into Ron's office. "Just need to recast the strength charm before we recast the trigger charm. I didn't realize the difference two letters could make in a word."_

" _I thought your mum taught you that one before you were old enough to hold a wand," Ron chuckled. "Let's get this mess cleaned up and make sure there are no holes in the roof or missing technicians in the lab."_

 _Ron, Hugo, and George spent the next few hours cleaning up the mess that had been made and reworking the charms so that little ones could work the small glitter bombs. The 'Baby Bombs' were released in time for New Year's Eve celebrations and were the first product credited to Hugo as a partner in Weasleys Wizard Wheezes. It was also Hugo's final test. George announced his retirement the day after Hugo's bombs were released. Ron was looking forward to a time when he could retire, too._

" _Hey, Dad," Hugo called to Ron as he looked out the window into the night. "Mum's supposed to be home by dinner. Do you mind if Anna and I hang out with you tonight?_

"As long as you leave the glitter in the lab, come on," Ron smiled as he answered. "Your mum is expecting a Buddhist pizza from Flying Pies. if you are late, there will be nothing left to eat."

"That explains how Mum knew about the 'Glitter Incident'," Hugo laughed as he set down his first letter. "She always kept a prototype of the Baby Bomb on her desk. I thought it was because it was my first success invention. Now, I am beginning to question her motives."

"She told me she kept it there to remind her the difference two letters make," Rose giggled at the reminder of her brother and uncle covered in glitter. "She was proud if the work you have done. It is still hard to believe that you are in charge of it all now."

"I can't imagine doing anything else," Hugo picked up a picture that had fallen out of the letter he had just finished reading. "How did Dad get this? I look like a disco ball and George is making a bigger mess than we already had by shaking glitter off like a wet dog. Dad must have taken this as we were walking back to the lab."

"Weren't Mum and I in Romania working with Uncle Charlie on Dragon Laws when the 'Glitter Incident' happened?" Rose looked through the letters from her packet. "It looks like most of these were written when they were separated for work."

"I think it was," Hugo set down the picture and looked through his stack. "Most of these have carry marks from owleries that I don't recognize. If Mum and Dad were in the same town they would have used Pig or one of Pig's children."

Rose searched through her stack until she found a letter with a date close to the date of the letter Hugo had read. "Looks like Mum sent Dad a letter around the same time Dad sent that one. _'My darling Ron, Charlie's' dragons are beautiful but I can't wait to be home ..._

 _Hermione looked over the dragon sanctuary as she read the letter she had just received from Ron. She could not stop laughing. Leave it up to George to lead Hugo into his first lab explosion. The picture was even better. She did not think that glitter could cover anyone the way it had covered the 'boys'. Knowing her husband, he had gone to the lab with them after the glitter settled and helped Hugo with his first invention for Weasleys Wizard Wheezes. Both she and Ron were proud of the work Hugo was taking on. George was talking about handing over his part of the company to Hugo and enjoying retirement._

 _Hermione turned at the sound of footsteps behind her. Rose was walking up the path to Hermione's favorite spot at the sanctuary. Hermione had talked Rose into coming with her to see Charlie and Pansy while she finished the changes to some of the Dragon Laws. Pansy had agreed to design and make Rose's wedding dress, so now was a perfect time to get some wedding planning and 'girl time'. "What's up, Rose?" Hermione watched Rose pick her way up the hill._

" _Aunt Pansy says dinner will be ready soon," Rose stopped beside her mother and took in the view. "We are almost done with the dress design. I love it and I think you will too."_

" _Not many brides get a Pansy Weasley original," Rose hugged her daughter before turning back towards the house. "I am sure it is beautiful. I got a letter from your father today."_

" _So, what's up in the world of novelties and protection?" Rose linked her arm with Hermione's as they walked down the path. "I know Hugo was working with George on his first invention for the shop. Is he still in one piece?"_

" _Yes, the boys still have all their limbs," Hermione started to giggle as she handed Rose the letter and picture. "But, I will never look at glitter the same way again. How did they get that much glitter in something as small as a Glitter Bomb?"._

" _Poor Anna," Rose wiped away the tears that rolled from her eyes as she laughed. "She will be cleaning glitter out of her flat for months if he goes to visit her looking like that. I have seen disco balls with les shine."_

 _Rose and Hermione continued to talk and laugh as they walked back to Pansy and Charlie's cottage. Hermione had a feeling dinner was going to be a lively affair tonight_

Rose could not stop laughing. "I remember that night. Uncle Charlie had Aunt Pansy sketch a dragon blowing the glitter off of you and Uncle George and sent it to Dad."

"Dad hung that picture up in the lab over my workstation as soon as he got it," Hugo laughed a little more. "I still have it . I had it framed the day after it came and I keep it as a reminder to find laughter in any disaster."

Hugo and Rose spent the next few hours reading letters their parents had sent to each other over the years of their marriage. Some we sweet and some were sad. Most were tiny pictures into the love that had only grown between Ron and Hermione in the years they had been together.

"It almost feels like they are here with us," Rose said as she picked up her last letter. "I don't really want this to end. These letters have been a gift I never knew I needed."

"I'm on my last letter, big sister." Hugo took a deep breath and began to read. _"My love, I am never going to send this letter to you …"_

 _Ron stood at the window and watched the sun set. He was going to break her heart. He thought nothing could be worse than watching her slowly fade away. But this was worse. His heart was a ticking time bomb and no one knew when it would stop. Hermione was almost done with her latest project, creating a pair of time capsules for the children to find when they were gone. She was using their old school trunks and creating packets of letters and pictures from their life together._

 _He had managed to tie a letter on to the first packet she had put in his trunk. She was packing the trunks in the reverse order of the way they had been lived. The final packet the children would read was the first packet she created. It was full of the letters they had sent each other over the last 40 years. Some of them were written when they had to be apart for work and some were written when the recipient was in the next room. There was one letter in his packet that had never been sent. It was the last letter he would write her and he did not want her to see it until he was gone._

 _He was going to miss this. But he was at peace._

Hugo took a deep breath. "How much courage did he have? To know he was leaving but keep it from her? He never let anyone know how much he worried."

"That is because he was the rock of this family," Rose answered the questions as they fell out of Hugo's mouth. "He was taking care of all of us. It was what he always did."

"I miss them, so much," Hugo got off the couch and began to pace in front of the fireplace. "Sometimes it feels like they are in the room with me. I know it is my imagination but the feeling is still there."

"They are never really going to be gone now," Rose pointed to the stacks of letter piled around the sitting room. "They are here, in their story. They will live on in the pages of the books Dad has already planned for."

"It was so hard to watch Mum fade," Rose whispered. "She would sit by the window and wait for Dad to come home. I never had the heart to tell her he was waiting for her somewhere else."

"Me either," Hugo sat back down beside his sister, "It was strange. I watched her have conversations with Dad in the last month. It was like watching relive conversations she and Dad had when we were kids."

"Enough putting this off. Mum's letter is not going to get any easier to read," Rose opened the parchment she had been dreading. _"My darling Ronald, I know you are hiding something from me …"_

 _Hermione's memory was slipping more each day. She was forgetting little things now. Like turning off the tea kettle or locking the door before bed. Ron was patient with her and held her when the frustration got to be too much. He was always there._

 _She had finished packing the trunks for Rose and Hugo last night. There was one letter in her trunk that Ron had never seen. It was the letter she had written last night as she watched him stare out the window. He had been to the Healer today and looked sad. She heard him talking to Harry after he got home, but they stopped talking when she walked in the room. She wasn't going to ask. She wouldn't remember his answer in the morning anyway._

 _It was a funny feeling to slowly fade away. Time didn't work the same anymore. Some days she knew everything and she knew someone was missing. Other days, she floated through the cottage like she was already gone. She couldn't find Ron anywhere. He was supposed to be home from work soon and a sweet girl named Rose helping her cook tonight. Tonight was special._

 _Hermione sat on her bed and waited for Ron. He had whispered to her last night. He was coming home. "I miss you, my heart," Hermione whispered as she fell asleep._

" _I have missed you too, love," the ghost of Ron held his hand out to Hermione. "It's time."_

" _I love you, Ronald …"_

Rose let the letter slip from her fingers. "How did they find the peace that is in these letters? They knew they were leaving each other."

"I guess they knew they would always find their way back to each other," Hugo carefully placed his stack of letters on the floor. To love and be loved like that is a blessing and a curse. I want it to always be that way for both of us"

Deep in the shadows of the sitting room, two whiffs of smoke formed and floated towards the quiet figures on the couch. Dancing around Rose and Hugo's' heads the smoke brushed tears from Rose's cheeks and Hugo's hair out of his eyes. As quickly as it appeared, the smoke disappeared and Ron and Hermione's voices filled the room. "Love is never a curse, children, it is always an adventure worth living. Never forget that and we will never be forgotten."

 _ **So here's my question: when you lose the most important person to you in the entire world, where is all the love – love you never even knew you were capable of – supposed to go?**_

 _ **Ted Michael, Crash Test Love**_


	12. Epilogue pt 1: The Poem

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

A/N: A song (Photographs and Memories by Jim Croce) lead to an idea which lead to a poem which lead to a story ... thank you for joining me on the ride ... SQPG72

Epilogue part 1: The Poem

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione

Rating: T to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: Hugo's housewarming gift for Rose traces the love story they have just discovered.

* * *

"Perfect. Right where it belongs" Hugo hung the framed poem above the mantle of his parents', and, now, his sister's, home. Wrapping his arms around Rose, Hugo read the words that traced his family's legacy.

 _Papers pile on every surface_

 _Challenges answered and problems solved_

 _Empty bed her greatest fear_

 _Waiting for his return_

 _Scars accumulate on his body_

 _Challenges answered and problems solved_

 _Empty chair his greatest fear_

 _Waiting for her attention_

 _Papers disappear from every surface_

 _Questions asked and answers found_

 _New paths her greatest adventure_

 _Moving forward without him_

 _Scars fade on his body_

 _Questions asked and answers found_

 _New work his greatest adventure_

 _Moving forward without her_

 _Papers melt into the background_

 _Steps taken and paths chosen_

 _Finding balance her greatest adventure_

 _Finding a life without him_

 _Scars disappear into his memory_

 _Steps taken and paths chosen_

 _Finding peace his greatest adventure_

 _Finding a life without her_

 _Papers fade into shadows of her days_

 _Risks taken and rewards granted_

 _Seeking balance her greatest adventure_

 _Discovering new love with him_

 _Scars become white webs in his skin_

 _Risks taken and rewards granted_

 _Seeking peace his greatest adventure_

 _Discovering new love with her_

 _Papers collect on smooth surfaces_

 _Work done and promises forgotten_

 _Forgiveness her greatest adventure_

 _Charting new paths with him_

 _Scars collect on rough hands_

 _Work done and promises forgotten_

 _Forgiveness his greatest adventure_

 _Charting new paths with her_

 _Papers float in the wind_

 _Choices made and actions forgotten_

 _Trusting her greatest adventure_

 _Building hope with him_

 _Scars silvered over time_

 _Choices made and actions forgotten_

 _Trusting his greatest adventure_

 _Building hope with her_

 _Papers collect around her chair_

 _Plans made and tasks completed_

 _Holidays her greatest adventure_

 _Celebrating hope with him_

 _Scars forgotten in the light_

 _Plans made and tasks completed_

 _Holidays his greatest adventure_

 _Celebrating hope with her_

 _Papers flutter around her head_

 _Risks taken and promises given_

 _Forever her greatest adventure_

 _Building love with him_

 _Scars heal around his heart_

 _Risks taken and promises given_

 _Forever his greatest adventure_

 _Building love with her_

 _Papers forgotten on her desk_

 _Sleep forgotten and cries answered_

 _Little feet her greatest adventure_

 _Growing a family with him_

 _Scars traced on his hands_

 _Sleep forgotten and cries answered_

 _Little feet his greatest adventure_

 _Growing a family with her_

 _Papers filled with her memories_

 _Lives lived and sorrows forgotten_

 _Letting go her greatest adventure_

 _Finding peace with him_

 _Scars map out his memories_

 _Lives lived and sorrows forgotten_

 _Letting go his greatest adventure_

 _Finding peace with her_


	13. Epilogue part 2: The Letters

Full Summary: Hugo and Rose had come to clean out the attic of their parents' house. They expected to find old toys and discarded inventions. What they found instead was their parents' love story

A/N: This is the final instalment of Photographs & Memories. These some of the letters Hugo and Rose found in the trunks … You can let your imagination run wild for the rest. To everyone who has stuck with me this long – THANK YOU! Your favorites and reviews helped encourage me as I worked.

Epilogue part 2: The Letters

Pairing: Hugo, Rose, Ron x Hermione

Rating: T to M to E and back again (for the whole story)

Chapter Summary: What did Ron and Hermione say in all those letters?

Rose walked into the sitting room of her parents' house, and settled on the couch. She and Hugo were meeting today to open the box from Flourish and Botts. The box was sitting on the coffee table but, Hugo wasn't there yet. He needed to hurry up. They had agreed to do this together and she could feel her parents' magic in the room. She should really get used to thinking of the cottage as her house, but no matter how long she and her family lived here, it would still be Mum and Dad's house.

"Sorry, I'm late Rosie," Hugo called as appeared in a puff of green smoke. "Little ones wanted to come and I had to get them otherwise occupied before I could leave."

"I understand, Huggie" Rose told him as she walked towards the box. "Mine were not exactly happy about an 'outing with Dad' while Mum opened the box."

"Is the shelf ready?" Hugo asked as he grabbed the tape on his side of the box. "I'm glad you and the books are going to be here. It would not be right for their story to be anywhere else."

"The trunks are back up in the attic where we found them," Rose reached for the tape on her end of the box. "Marcus and I are going to do the same thing for our children. Are you ready for this?"

"One the count of three … One … Two … Three …" Hugo called out the count as they both lifted the tape from the box. "Time to look at our family's treasure."

Rose and Hugo looked at the ten leather bound volumes inside the box. Rose carefully pulled the book with a red "1" stamped into the spine out of the box. She turned the book over to look at the cover. "Photographs & Memories: A Love Story," she read aloud as she traced the letters engraved in the cover. "The Story of Ron and Hermione Granger in their own words."

"Perfect," Hugo whispered as her took the next book out of the box. "I can't wait to share this with everyone else tonight. It is almost like Mum and Dad are here with us."

"I hope the inside is as well done as the outside," Rose said as she opened the book in her hands. "Oh my. This is way beyond what I expected. They started with the first letters we found in the trunks."

"Look at the titles of each book," Hugo said as he opened up the book he was holding. "They fit the letters that are there. This one is called 'Separate Lives'."

"Time to get these books on the shelf," Rose said as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "We can read them again with the family tonight. This is one story I can't wait to read over and over again."

Rose and Hugo levitated the ten volume of letters to the shelf beside the fireplace. "Look at that, Hugo," Rose whispered "Look at what the spines spell …"

"LOVE never fails and MAGIC is forever," Hugo read the spines of the books on the shelf. "That is perfect."

As Hugo and Rose went to the kitchen to get the food ready for the family that would soon arrive, two wisps of smoke floated out of the corner and floated over to the newly settled books on the shelf. As the smoke settled into the books, words appeared in gold letters on the shelf. "Love is never a curse, children, it is always an adventure worth living. Never forget that and we will never be forgotten. Ron and Hermione Weasley"

 _ **Book One: Breaking Up:**_

Harry,

I don't know how much longer I can do this. It's like I don't exist anymore. She is always working. It does not matter if I am here or if I am out with you. She just works. She isn't sleeping. She is barely eating. I don't recognize her anymore. What am I supposed to do? I love her with every breath in my body, but I am tired. I can't make her see what she is doing to us and I can't watch her spiral any more. How can we live in the same space when it feels like she is always gone? I may have to break her heart before she destroys mine. I really don't want to do this. I don't know that I can do this.

Ron

Ginny,

Everything seems to be falling apart. Why? I know I have been working longer hours but it seems like he is never here. How do you and Harry do it? How do you live with the fact that he puts himself in danger every time he goes out on a case? Every new scar is a cut on my heart. I can't function for worrying when he is gone so I bury the worry in work. But then I can't seem to stop working when he is home. I love him and I am so afraid of losing him. How do I hold on tight enough but not too tight? How do I stop the need to work when he is home? If I don't find a balance, I could lose him. It feels like he is slipping away every time he comes home.

Hermione

Hermione,

I know you are hurt and upset, but so am I. I feel like I have been living with a ghost for a while now. You are always working and never sleeping. I know my job scares you but you never talk to me. It is just like when we were in school. You are hiding in your need to get something good done. I can't watch anymore. I love you so much, but I cannot do this. I cannot watch you work yourself to death. We both have decisions to make. But I am making this one for us. I am stepping away before we both crumble. I'm going to be at Charlie's for the next couple of weeks. When you are ready to talk, I will only be an owl away.

Always,

Ron

Ronald,

I know you were trying to tell me I was breaking your heart and I was too stubborn to listen. I was too wrapped up in trying not to feel I forgot that we needed to feel each other. I'm sorry. I have been so afraid of losing you, I shut you out. I have decided to talk to a Healer at St. Mungos to talk about some of this. You are right, I can't keep burying myself in work and shutting out the things and people that could cause me pain. I have loved you for a very long time and I am afraid I have broken what we had. I want to get to point where we can be friends. I will not ask for anything more. It is time for me to figure out who I am without using fear to drive what I do. You will always be with me even if it is just as sweet memory.

Keep safe,

Hermione

 _ **Book 2: Separate Lives:**_

Hello Charlie,

Thank you for letting hang out with your dragons for the last few weeks. I need the space to think things through and make some decisions. You were right, big brother. I need to find a space to figure out who I am before I try to find someone again. Thank you for listening when I talked myself through my decision about work. I have been happy with being an Auror, but I have felt lost over the last year or so. Harry seems to grow and thrive with each new case and I seem to be standing still. I think you are right. I need a break from being an Auror. I'm going to take George up on his offer to help him run Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. I have had enough excitement to last a lifetime. I want peace. I have not felt this relaxed and comfortable with a decision since I told Mum and Dad that I was going into to Auror program. They are going to be disappointed but I think they will understand, too. I'll send you an owl when I have settled in my new place. Come visit soon. Mum misses you and so do the rest of us.

Until next time,

Ron

Harry,

I wanted you to be the first to know my decision. I am leaving the Aurors. It took the fight with Hermione and a trip to Charlie's to realize that I am not happy. I love working with you but, I don't love the work anymore. I am tired. I can't get the haunted look in Hermione's eyes as I stepped in the Floo before our last assignment. I can't live with that look anymore. George has offered me a partnership in the business and I am going to take him up on it. Don't worry, mate. I am only a Floo call away and I will always have your back. Do me favor. Talk to Ginny about the way she feels when you walk out the door. I didn't do that with Hermione and now I can't undo the damage that did.

Mischief Managed,

Ron

To the Director,

I, Ronald Billius Weasley, hereby resign my commission as an Auror for the Ministry of Magic. After great thought and intense conversations with those I trust, I have come to the conclusion that my future lays in a different direction. I thank you for your time and trust in my ability to do the job you have given me. I will always be in your debt and service.

Sincerely,

Ronald Weasley

Pansy,

It was great getting to spend time with you last night. I haven't had that much fun in a long time. It has been wonderful discovering that we have more in common than the school we attended. I loved to watch your eyes sparkle as you talk about your shop and how it makes you feel to help others find the robe or outfit that makes them feel beautiful. Your talent amazes me. Thank you for the walk among the fireflies. It was nice to just walk along holding your hand. I can't wait for another evening like tonight.

Until then,

Ron

Dear Luna,

How can I thank you enough for your help over the last few weeks? Your wise words make sense the more I think about them. I did hide in my books. I didn't see it at the time, but Ron's job scared me more than I wanted to admit. Using work to keep my mind occupied let me live with the danger he put himself in but it didn't let me build a relationship that we could both live in. I'm going to take some time to figure some things out with the help of professionals. I need to figure out a way to balance work with my personal life. You are right, if I cannot find a way to leave work at work, I am going to burn out. Not everything has to be done today. Some things can wait until tomorrow.

Every in your debt,

Hermione

Hey Ginny,

I promise I am okay. I may still want to remove your brother's head from his body but, he was right. I buried myself in work so I didn't have to think about his job. The flat feels empty without him here. I am going to look for a new place soon. I think I need to find a place where memories of us don't exist in every corner. I have talked to my boss and I am going to lighten up my work load. There are other people that work in the office and they are just as capable as I am. I am slowly figuring out that I can't run away from what is worrying me by burying it in work. Promise me something, that you will talk to Harry. Don't let what has happened to me and Ron happen to you and Harry. Talk about what scares you about each other's work. And listen too. I love you both.

Be good,

Hermione

Sir,

I am writing to request reassignment of some of my cases. I have discovered that delegating the responsibilities of different areas of cases can actually make me better at my primary job. I need to give others the same opportunities that you have given me. Thank you for being patient with me during this transition,

Sincerely,

Hermione Granger

Darling Theodore,

Thank you for a wonderful evening. It was nice to spend time talking about things that had nothing to do with work. I have enjoyed our talks over tea and I am looking forward to more of them. I am slowly learning how to leave work behind. Last night was the first time in the last few weeks that I did not think about the work on my desk. I needed that. The stars were beautiful and the quiet was amazing. I have never been on a walk where both people said so much without saying a word. The way you run your fingers through your hair when you can't figure out what to say makes you all the more special. I don't know why I didn't notice it years ago but I am glad I am getting a chance to notice it now. Next time, let's go to your favorite place.

Until tea,

Hermione

 _ **Book 3: Friends**_

Ginny Weasley,

What were you thinking? I know it was your mum's birthday, but HE was there. NOT alone. Why did you not warn me he was dating? Pansy Parkinson, of all people. I love your family and I can almost be in the same space as your brother, but last night was too much without warning. I know I should be moving on, but my heart stopped when I saw him standing with her. I was there with Theo and we had a grand time. But, there is an emptiness in my chest now that I can't make go away. I was happy with Theo and with finding balance at work. What am going to do? How can I love two people at the same time? I thought I was over him, I promise. But, all I do is dream of him. What am going to do? Meet me for tea tomorrow, please. I need to talk to someone that knows both of us.

Always,

Hermione

Mate,

What did you let Mum talk you into? I have never felt SO awkward in my entire life. Not even when we played Wizard Chess against Voldemort as First Years. I know Mum is hard to say no to, but could you have at least warned me she was going to be there? And bringing a DATE! A bloody, scaly Slytherin, at that. Theodore Nott is not who I would have ever seen her with and you let her bring him into my parents' house. Bloody hell, why does my heart hurt so much? Pansy and I are happy. I have a partner that supports me and is an amazing sounding board. I don't have to fight her job for her attention. What am I supposed to do? I promised myself I would not drop down this rabbit hole again. How can I be jealous of a man when I walked away? I see her around every corner now. I see her in rooms of the flat and that is not possible, she has never been her. What am I supposed to do? Break another heart or tear out my own? Meet me for a drink? I need to figure this bloody mess out before I talk to Pansy.

Mischief Managed (maybe),

Ron

Hello Ron,

It has been a while since we talked. It was wonderful seeing you at Molly's party the other night. I had forgotten how easy it is to spend time with you and your family. I miss your family and I miss you. I'm sorry. For letting work mean more than spending time with you. For hiding behind work so I didn't' have to acknowledge the danger of your job. For letting my fear choke the love from our relationship. For seeing my injuries but never noticing yours. It was so easy to bury myself in the task at hand and not think about where you were and what you were facing. I did notice when you came in hurt and I made the choice not to admit it. If I didn't notice the injuries, then they didn't exist. I know it makes no sense but, it is what my brain used. I have done a lot of thinking since the night you went to the Burrow. There are things I need to work on and things I need to figure out. Talking to the Healer is helping, but some of this I have to do on my own. I am spending less time at work and more time with friends. I am dipping a toe in the dating pool again. Theo is very different from the boy we knew at Hogwarts. Like us, the War and its aftermath changed him. I am trying, I promise. I would like to try to be friends again. We were friends first and it has taken me time to remember that.

Please, forgive me,

Hermione

My dear Hermione,

I have started this letter more times than I can count but I can never seem to finish it. I got your letter last week and I have read it over and over again. I am sorry for the way I left. I knew you were hiding and I was frustrated. I wanted you to see me the way I had always seen you. I'm sorry. For forgetting you lived through the War too. For not listening when you told me how my job scared you. For wanting more than you were ready to give. For expecting you to handle things the way you always had. I realize now that you were not handling things, you were surviving them. Everyone handles things differently and work seems to be the key for you. I hope you find the balance you are looking for. I am still looking for mine. I have left the Aurors and I am working with George at the shop. It is still dangerous, but not in the way being an Auror was. I have told Harry I will help if they absolutely need me to. But, I am done. Fighting has cost me too much … friends, family ...you. It was strange to see you with Nott at Mum's party but, it was nice to see your true smile. I have missed it. Pansy was a surprise for me. She is sweet (in her own way) and supportive and making a name for herself in the world of designer robes. I would like to be friends again. You are right, we started as friends. You are bright and beautiful. Never forget it.

You never had to ask, because I forgave you as I walked out.

Forgive me, please,

Ron

Ginny,

HELP! I just got a letter from Ron and I am in tears. It's the Ron I fell in love with and I don't know what to do. I care for Theo but, bloody hell, I still love him. What do I do? Theo is stable and supportive and keeps me steady. But I still feel hollow when I am around him. Like my heart is not in my chest. I felt full for the first time in months as I read his letter. I can't do this. I can't. It will break Theo if I leave him. BUT, I don't love Theo. I still love your daft, stupid, sweet, incredible, perfectly imperfect brother. How do you do it? Love a man that risks everything for the sake of everyone else. I think I was so busy being mad at him for leaving I forgot why I wanted him to stay. I need to talk to them both. I need to let Theo know that there is a part of me that is still love Ron and there is a part of me that wants to make it work with him. I need to talk to Ron to see if this is really what it feels like or if it is guilt. I need to figure this out. Can we meet? I need to talk to someone who know them both. I need to find out which one makes the hollow go away.

Always,

Hermione

Harry,

What the bloody hell am I supposed to do with this. First, she sends me an apology that tears my heart out and then she asks me to tea. What am I supposed to do with that? She wants to be friends. Friends, Merlin's beard. I don't know if I can do it. I know I can barely handle the thought of her dating and I know I cannot handle her dating a bloody Slytherin and wanting to be friends. It makes me want more. It is not fair to Pansy. Fuck, what am I going to do about Pansy? I have already broken Hermione's heart, and now I am thinking about breaking hers. What the bloody hell am I supposed to do? I need to figure this out. I think I love Pansy, but I know I still love Hermione. Every time I think about Hermione, my heart starts to beat again. Pansy is a great girl but I don't think this is what either of us wants or needs. I need a pint or two. Care to join me? The Three Broomsticks in an hour? I need to get this out and you are about the only one I trust… Pansy is going to kill me …

Mischief NOT Managed. (by any stretch),

Ron

 _ **Book 4: More Than Friends**_

Mum,

You were right. I still love her. Seeing her at your birthday party brought some things into perspective. I care for Pansy. She is a great girl, but I love Hermione. I knew what I was doing when I walked out months ago. I left my heart in our flat with her. The visit to Charlie helped me to see how I feel about what I was doing and where it was going. It also helped me to see how Hermione must have looked at my job. I realized that never letting her talk about how much my job scared her and, how it reminded her of the last few years of our school, played a part in how she was acting. I have to own that and admit that. My time with Charlie also let me step away from what I thought everyone expected of me. I need to look at what I expected of me and what I really wanted to do with my magic. I love being an Auror and righting wrongs where they needed to be righted. But, I am better at creating spells and traps. I have found that working with George is even better than being an Auror. I have also found that I like who I am away from work since I started working with George. So, now, I have to break a girl's heart again. And I have to learn to grovel. I think I will talk to Dad about that one. Thank you for letting me be stupid first and making me learn from being stupid.

Happy Birthday,

Ron

Molly,

What am I going to do with your son? He showed up on my doorstep with forget-me-nots. Forget-me-nots. I have spent the last several months trying to do just that, forget him. Dating Theo was a nice idea, but it wasn't right, it never felt like he was meant for me. Ron always felt like he was meant for me. I just had to decide to quit running away. Because we all know how well running away works. The best part of Ron leaving was he made me face a few things. I used work to hide, to not think, to escape. The questions he asked me as he walked out the door haunted me and echoed around the flat for days. He made me think of what I was doing and how I was making him feel. I finally decided to talk to someone about everything. No more running, No more hiding. I have discovered that I care for Ron more than I thought was possible. I have missed him as my friend and I have missed him being more than my friend. I was surprised when he showed up on my doorstep this evening, but I am glad he did. I think I am actually ready to try again. He has always been my rock, even when he left me staring at the door as he walked away. He is taking me out on a date next week. It is time for me to be brave. You have raise an incredible man.

Thank you,

Hermione

Pansy,

I'm sorry. I can't do this. You are a great girl and a beautiful witch. But I am still in love with Hermione. I think I may have given her my heart years ago. It is not fair to you to ask you to accept less than my whole heart. I know there is someone out there for you. It's just not me. I don't expect you to forgive me anytime soon. Breaking up with you over ice cream was not what I had planned for last night. I will miss you. Maybe, someday, we can find a way to be friends again.

Keep in touch,

Ron

Theo,

Please forgive me. I know you don't love me and I don't love you. We have talked about this more in the last week than we have in the whole time we have been seeing each other. I don't want to keep you from finding your true love. My true love had the sense enough to let me go before I burned us. I have seen you watch Blaise when he comes in to the office. You are not hiding how you feel. Don't be afraid. Finding true love means finding your true self and then taking a risk in showing it to someone else. Blaise watches you walk across any room you are in. It is like he can't keep his eyes off of you. Don't let your father's teaching keep you from finding your own happiness. I will always be here if you need to talk. I treasure your friendship. It is time for me to take my own advice and take a risk. I handed my heart over to him a long time ago. I just need to get the courage to tell him what he really holds.

Always,

Hermione

Mate,

Where do you take the love of your life on a second first date? I finally found the courage to see her last night and I ended up asking her for a second chance. I have no clue what I am going to do. I thought about her favorite Muggle place in London, but it doesn't feel right. I want the place to mean something to both of us. I think I want to cook, well, ask Mum to help me cook so we can eat it. I know I want it quiet and private and a place where we can't be interrupted. I need to show her that I mean what I say when I say I am going to make time for her. I want to give her a chance to talk about how things fell apart. The apology she sent me months ago still haunts me. I never want to have her feel like that again. How do I take things slow when all I want to do is tie her to me for the rest of our lives? I need to talk to Dad about borrowing a tent. Not the big one, maybe even a Muggle one. Just enough to give us some shelter and keep dinner a surprise. What about stuff to sit on? Pillows and blankets on the grass or table and chairs? Help a mate out here. I can't screw this up…

Mischief Managed (Oh Merlin HELP me),

Ron

Ginny,

Why didn't I see this the first time? Why did I not see the steel and the heart behind your brother's goofy facade? I do not know how to handle this version of Ron Weasley. He came by the flat to talk the other night. He brought a bouquet of forget-me-nots. How could I forget him? I tried. Theo was sweet and understanding but, he loves someone else. Theo has become a great friend and he is going to need all the friends he can get when he finally truly admits who he loves. Ron has been one of my best friends since we were eleven years old. I fell apart when he left us the last year of the War, even if nobody but Harry saw it. I should have known then how he showed people he loved them. I fell apart again when he walked out the door of our flat. Have I ever told you about the knight I keep under my pillow? It was one of the white knights from the chess set I got him our first Christmas as a couple. Ron put it there one of the first times he went off with Harry to do Auror stuff. He said it was to remind me that he was always close and would always come back. The day he moved out of the flat, I went to see if the knight was still there. There was a knight under my pillow, but it wasn't the white one, it was a black knight. I think my heart cracked apart the minute I realized what color that damn knight was. That is when I knew I had really lost him. I want that white knight back. I don't think I could have ever admitted it when he left, but I can now. I want the guy that showed up, blushing, with a bouquet of flowers asking to be friends again. I want that guy that talked to me until I fell asleep. I want that guy that put a tent up by the pond and had a picnic at sunset with me. I want that guy that is not afraid to call me out for paying more attention to work than to the people around her. I want that guy that had enough steel in his backbone to walk out and mean it, to trade a black knight for a white knight. I want to be more than friends with Ronald Weasley … I may have lost my mind, but I have definitely lost my heart …

Always,

Hermione

Mione,

Thank you. For everything. Not just last night. For making me look at what I really wanted to do with my life when I lost you to your work. For making me figure out who I was without you and with you. For apologizing when you didn't have to. How do I put into words how amazing it was to spend an evening with you at the pond? I am the luckiest wizard. The witch that means everything to me gave me a second chance. Mum told me you asked about the forget-me-nots. Since ancient times, it has been used as a symbol of faithfulness and remembrance. They are a promise from me to you. I promise to remember hearts are fragile and never forget where my treasure lies.

Always,

Ron

Ronald,

Sunsets will never look the same for me. I never took time to look at them before you walked out of our flat. I never realized how much I missed by hiding in my work. I never realized how much I need to sit with a good friend and watch the sun set. How did you know about that spot at the pond? I have always gone there to think and now I can go there to be closer to you. I haven't felt this happy in a long time. I guess I needed you to walk away for me to see what I was losing. Your strength amazes me. I could have never walked away from everything and rebuilt the way you have. Can I borrow some of it? Can I lean on you when I am not strong enough to walk away from work that takes over everything? I want to learn to be as strong as you are. Thank you for your strength and for second chances. I'll try not to lose you this time…

Forget me not,

Hermione

 _ **Book 5: Making Up**_

Charlie,

I may need to borrow your couch again. I messed up big time. I was late for dinner with Hermione and now she won't talk to me. I may have to come see you to keep myself from living on her doorstep. I completely understand why she is mad at me but I can't seem to stop trying to apologize and get back in her good graces. I guess I forgot Hermione has a temper. She doesn't lose it often, but when she does. It was scary. She got so quiet and she looked so tired. I know I messed up. I tried to apologize, but she won't let me. I have tried letters and flowers and gifts, but they all come back. I have tried bringing her dinner and taking care of her, but she won't let me. I need to fix this. I guess I will just have to show her that I am not running this time. Merlin help me, I am going to be living on her doorstep.

Save the couch for me,

Ron

Luna,

Please remind me why I am not allowed to kill him. Ron is driving me insane. He is everywhere. On my doorstep when I get home from work, dropping off lunch when he thinks I haven't stopped to eat (he is usually right), flowers and offers of picnics on Saturday afternoons. He left me because I could not leave work at work and then he has the nerve to be an hour late for dinner because he was working. I am so mad. He can't have it both ways. He can't fuss at me for working too much and then do the same thing to me. I should have known better than to let him back in … I cannot do this. I cannot let him back in again. But I feel empty without him. What am I supposed to do?

So confused,

Hermione

Mate,

She chased me down the path with her wand. I was just trying to get her to eat dinner and relax. I did not mean to upset her; I am trying to show her that she means more to me than anything. I think she may have been laughing as she chased me, but I could have been hearing things. Merlin, how I love to hear her laugh. I want to take care of her. I want to spend every evening with her. I am trying not to end up on her doorstep every night but I can't help myself. I need to see her before I can rest. I am sounding like a stalker. I send owls every other day … She sent me a howler. It was amazing. Is it bad that it feels good to have her angry with me? I know I need to back off but I can't. Talk to her for me, please. I know I messed up. I want to make it right; I want to get back to where we were before I messed up. I want to make her happy. I am in so much trouble.

Mischief Managed,

Ron

Ginny,

What do I do now? He is everywhere. On my doorstep, at our spot at the pond, at work during my lunch break. It is like he knows what I need before I even know. I am having trouble staying mad at him. He looked so cute in the doorway last night. I had worked late and he was waiting for me with dinner when I finally got home. He was asleep in my doorway. He left work, got food and waited for me. It is hard to stay mad at him when he is always trying to take care of me. George owled me the other day. He asked me why his baby brother was running out of the lab before dinner every night. He said he had never seen Ron get so much done in such a short amount of time. I don't want Ron to hurt himself trying to take care of me. But, it is nice to have someone worry about me. Can I do this? Can I let go of my anger and give him a chance? Can I let him back in? Will you kill him for me?

Always,

Hermione

Mione,

I'm sorry. I know I messed up. Please forgive me. I want to be there at the end of every day. I want to watch you fall asleep and wake up. I can't promise I won't make mistakes. We have known each other to long for that. I can promise that I will do my best to put you before everything else. I can promise that I love you. I can promise that I will try to be the wizard you always tell me I can be. You are an amazing witch. Can we try again? Did you know your door is a really comfortable place to fall asleep?

I love you,

Ron

Ronald,

I forgive you, this time. How can I stay mad at you when you insist on taking care of me? I would almost think you were stalking me but, I know your heart. I think I always have. I still remember the look in your eyes every time you have walked away from me. I remember because I could feel your sorrow and your determination. You have let me have my way and my anger for long enough. I know I have done things in anger that I should not have and for that, I ask you to forgive me. I think we have shown each other that we will try to put each other first. I don't know how you have managed to be on my doorstep with dinner at least twice a week since you were late for dinner but, don't kill yourself trying to prove yourself. I know we are going to have to figure out this work thing. I feel almost lost when you aren't on my doorstep when I get home. I think I want to see you there every night.

I love you, too,

Hermione

 _ **Book 6: Growing Up**_

Pansy,

What do I do now? Who is this man that shows up at my flat every night and what has he done with the real Ron Weasley? I haven't laughed so much in years. I actually look forward to coming home from work. Who knew growing up could have its rewards? People ask me if it is strange to be friends with your boyfriend's ex-girlfriend. It's not. The best thing that came out of you and Ron dating was getting to know you outside of school. Plus, I need all the fashion help I can get. You work wonders with a limited wardrobe or a limited budget. I think it is time you started your own store. Ginny and I will be the first people at your door. Fashions by Pansy - posh, perfect and personal. Why wouldn't I want to be friends with someone who understands what it is like to date and care for Ron Weasley? I think he is plotting something but I'm not sure. Has he talked to you about anything? Owl me later. The girls need to get together soon and have a coffee night.

Keep dreaming,

Hermione

George,

I need your help. I need to find a way to ask Hermione to take the next step with me. Not getting married but living together. I hate having to go back to my flat by myself every night. I miss her when we are not in the same space. I want to do something special at the pond near the Burrow. I think I want to trace our path from school to this year. I have found a nice cottage that I want to buy, but I want Hermione to buy it with me. I know it has taken me a couple of months (well more than a couple) to convince her that this relationship is worth the risk, so this has to be special. You have been great about letting me adjust my work hours so Hermione and I can figure things out and I hate to ask you for more favors. But, this means a lot to me and you are the Charms expert. So I am asking - PLEASE help me charm Hermione into buying a house with me.

Pretty please,

Ron

Ginny,

Operation: Rest Freckles is going to happen. Ron has run himself ragged over the last few weeks. I know he is trying to help George develop some new charms and baubles for the Christmas shopping season. He stays here until I fall asleep every night and he was at the office before dawn the other morning. Don't ask me how I know. I do need to protect my sources. He is going to burn out if I can't find a way to slow him down. I need to show him that I see what he is doing and I appreciate everything. He has spent so much time taking care of me, he has forgotten to take care of himself. We are supposed to meet at my flat tomorrow night for dinner. Can you drop a spa kit by my flat in the morning and get George to tell him he can't come in to the office until after noon the day after? I need George to convince him to take a few hours off. Ron needs the rest and I need to take care of him. I can't believe he asked me to buy a cottage with him last night. I miss him when he is not in the same space as I am. I didn't realize how empty a flat could be without his socks under the couch and the sound of him whistling off key as he works until he wasn't there anymore. Besides, my bed is too big to sleep in by myself.

Freckles won't know what hit him,

Hermione

Harry,

I didn't think I could love her more than I did yesterday. Two nights ago, she said 'Yes" to buying the cottage in Potters Bar together. Watching her face light up as the charms traced our history across the trestle George and I put up at the pond was amazing. Holding her in my arms as we watched the charms might have been the best experience of my life so far. I can't wait to fall asleep with her every night and wake up with her every morning. I am even looking forward to trying to find her behind the stacks of papers she still brings home from time to time. She surprised me after dinner last night. She asked George and Ginny to make sure I got to her flat on time and even talked George into telling me I could not come in to the office until after noon today. My beautiful witch decided she need to help me relax. I have no idea how she got all the stuff into her flat but she was determined to help me relax and take better care of myself. I am not guessing her intent. She said, "Ron. Tonight it is my turn to take care of you. I will not stand by while you wear yourself out trying to take care of me. Put your butt on those pillows and relax." Who am I to argue with Hermione Granger. It was the best night's sleep I have had in months. It could have been the company or the fact that the knots in my shoulders dissolved at her touch. I don't think I can let her go now.

Mischief Managed,

Ron

Hermione,

My beautiful witch. I amazed by how you care for me. I love you. I can't wait to show you the cottage in Potters Bar. I think this knight belongs under your pillow.

All my love,

Ron

Ronald,

Can you and George duplicate that display? It was amazing. You put things in there that I had forgotten. How can I put into words how much you mean to me? I love you. I miss you when you are at your flat. I am excited to start a new chapter of our lives in our cottage, together.

Always,

Hermione

 _ **Book 7: Surprise**_

Harry,

HELP! I don't know that I can do this. I am sitting here staring at this ring and I feel like my heart is going to jump out of my chest. I know I want Hermione to be my wife but, I am terrified of asking her. Living with her in our cottage has been wonderful. I can't imagine beginning or ending my day any other way than in her arms. When did I get so wrapped up in having her in my space? I can't seem to breath is she is not tucked beside me every night. I have stopped myself three times this week. I have been carrying this blasted ring around in my pocket waiting for inspiration to strike. Mione is talking about having a Christmas party at the cottage to celebrate our first Christmas in the cottage. Maybe in front of the tree with all of you standing around. I will need you and Ginny pictures. I can make this work. Here's to making some more memories with my beautiful, brilliant witch.

Mischief Managed (for now),

Ron

Ginny,

I need your help to get this party going. I've talked Ron into having a party at our house for the crew plus a few of his brothers. I am thinking about inviting Pansy because Charlie is coming in for a visit. They sneak peeks at each other every time we get together. I would love to see both of them happy again. Maybe a small gathering with good friend and family will let them get to know each other better. Ron suggested inviting Draco and Astoria. I liked the idea. It is nice to see Ron and Draco getting along like grownups. It is never a party without Marcus and Oliver. I will lose Ron to a heated Quidditch discussion at some point, but the boys love it and he misses playing the game with them. I need a good reason to get Theo and Blaise in the same space too. It is painful to watch them pine for each other across any room they are in. Neither of them can seem to overcome their Pureblood upbringing and admit to the feelings they have for each other. This could be great or it could be a disaster. What should I plan for food? Can you help me get the food ready? I am going to have so many lists. Remind me to hex your brother if he starts to laugh at my lists. A good plan is the best way to avoid a disaster. And this party has the potential to explode.

Here's to the holidays,

Hermione

Dad,

How did you hand over your heart to Mum? How did you ask her to trust you with hers? I am going to ask Hermione to marry me tonight. I talked to her parents yesterday and they are excited for us. Her dad thinks she will say yes and her mum ask me why it had taken so long for me to make her my mother-in-law. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with her and she has had my heart has been hers for the taking for quite a while. But, it is petrifying to think about getting down on one knee and asking her to be mine forever. What if she says no? What am I going to do? What if I forget what I want to say? I guess it is time to leap again. Say a prayer for me …

Nothing ventured, nothing gained,

Ron

Mummie,

You are never going to believe what that loveable fool did. He asked me to marry him in the middle of the aftermath of a food fight! I had cake in my hair and frosting on my jumper. We were all standing around the tree covered in dessert when someone had the brilliant idea to document the Great Christmas Dessert Battle for posterity. As I turned to face the camera, I felt Ron tug on my hand. He was down on one knee with the most beautiful ring in his hand. Time stopped as I watched him slip that ring on my finger and ask me to be his wife. I just stood there nodding my head and crying. I guess it is time to make a new plan. Can we pull off a wizard/muggle wedding in less than a year? I was thinking about setting up a tent by the pond at the Burrow. The pond has special memories for both of us and I have always wanted to get married in the fall. Lunch with Molly on Saturday?

Love you,

Hermione

Hermione,

How can I every day be better than the day before? I can't believe you agreed to be my wife. I have never seen you look more beautiful than you did last night. Cake in your hair, your eyes bright with laughter, smiling and laughing with our friends and family. That is how I want to spend every Christmas like this. Surrounded by love and my ring on your finger. I love you. Take good care of my heart. It is yours now.

Forever yours.

Ron

Ron,

You beautiful, beautiful wizard. How did I get so lucky? My best friend asked me to be his wife. He called me beautiful and brilliant and took my hand and my heart. I was covered in dessert and you called me beautiful. I hope you remember that when I am old and wrinkled. I know I will. I have spent most of this morning watching the sunlight sparkled off the beautiful ring you placed on my finger. I pinch myself every few minutes to make sure I am not dreaming. I never want to wake up if this is a dream. Christmas is quickly becoming my favorite holiday. I was thinking a wedding by the pond in the fall. I can't wait to become your wife. I love you. I am trusting you with something more precious than hope, all my dreams.

Always,

Hermione

 _ **Book 8: Bells**_

My love,

Today is the first day of our grandest adventure. I woke up this morning and realized how lucky I am. I am marrying the witch that has been one of my dearest friends since we were eleven. I am marrying a creative and warm woman who holds my heart in the palms of her tiny hands. I get to be Hermione Granger's husband. I am being granted a wish bigger than I ever dared to wish. I will never understand how I got lucky enough to get to keep you. I love you. I'll be waiting at the pond

Forever yours,

Ron.

Today, I marry my best friend

I promise to never stray

Today, I join my life to hers

I promise to always be there

Today, I make plans for forever

I promise to take one step at a time

Today, I make a dream come true

I promise to never forget

Today, I start our family

I promise to be home for dinner

Today, I lay down my wants

I promise to supply your needs

Today, I gain my greatest treasure

I promise not to hide it from the world

Today, I seal my promise with a ring

I promise to never take it off

Today, I marry my best friend

And a luckier man I have never seen

My love,

Today you are making my greatest wish come true, I am marrying you. How did I get so lucky? I never dreamed big enough. When we meet on the train, you just a red headed boy who made me laugh. Over the years, we have grown into so much more. I never would have imagined surviving a war or finding the love of my life in the middle of a battle. Thank you - for having the courage to walk away when I was hurting you, for having the courage to stay when I was pushing you away, for making me laugh and for making me cry, for seeing good in me when I saw none, for seeing our story in a string of charms and for never giving up on us. I love you. I'll meet you at the pond.

Always,

Hermoine

Ginny,

Words can never express how much I appreciate everything you have done to make today perfect. I would never have made to this point without you. And I don't just mean the wedding. I mean school and the war, fights with Ron, life with Ron, life without Ron, ALL of it. Thank you for helping me understand your brother when he could not find the right words to explain himself and thank you for helping me find ways to surprise him. Harry is a lucky man to have you. Be careful on your broom. I really don't want to spend my honeymoon taking care of Harry because you got knock off your broom by a bludger. Thank you for helping fit into your huge and chaotic family. Being an only child makes families like your scary. But look what I found in your great, big, loud, family - the man I love and and the sister I never knew I needed. Thank you for putting up with all my lists and plans and for making sense out of them once I was done. Gryffindor girls have to stand together. Thank you for standing by me, especially today.

Love you,

Hermione

Mate,

Thank you for all your help getting the honeymoon together. The place you found is amazing and I can't wait to have Hermione to myself for a few days. I would have never made it this far without you. I am getting married tomorrow. To one of my best friends. How did I get so lucky? She is too good for me. But, maybe that is how it works. Our girls are always to good for us (Ginny is definitely too good for you but she still keeps you around … did you put a potion in her pumpkin juice?) I will never be able to thank you enough for all the help and advice you have given over the years. I am here for you if you ever need anything. I know I don't have to say it but, I need to say it. You are my best mate and my brother. I'm getting married tomorrow, can you believe it. I am getting married tomorrow. Don't forget to comb your hair tomorrow. Hermione will beat you with her bouquet if you and your messy hair mess up her perfect pictures tomorrow. Thank you for everything.

Mischief Managed,

Ron

 _ **Book 9: Babies**_

Mione,

You should not be this sick every morning. Please go see the Healer. Please. I am worried. You stay tired and you can't keep anything down. I do not want to watch you melt away in front of me. I need you in my life. Please go see the Healer. I will go with you if you need me too. I just can't stand to see you like this

I love you,

Ron

Ronald,

I hate it when you are right. It didn't take a trip to the Healers to figure it out. It just took a trip to the chemist and running late for a meeting for it to occur to me that I was more than just late for a meeting. We are going to be parents. I am so not ready for this. I have things to do. But what are they? I need books and parchment and plans. I need to start planning. We need to set up appointments with the Healer and decide which room will be the baby's. And get all the stuff that babies need. What do babies need? I need to talk to your Mum. I'm going to be a mum, You're going to be a dad … We are going to be parents. What if I am a horrible mum? What if I forget the baby somewhere? What if I drop the baby? What am I doing? I can't do this. Please tell me I can do this. I'm scared. I don't want to mess this up. I love you. I love this baby. I am going to be so bad at this. I can't even keep a plant alive, how am I going to keep a baby alive? I love you

I need you,

Hermione

Love,

Breathe. Everything is going to be fine. This is the best news I have ever heard. I am going to be a dad; you are going to be a mum. We are going to be parents and it is all going to work out. We can figure this out. Babies are more resilient than you think. Look at me. I survived being younger than Fred and George. We definitely need to set up appointments with the Healer and we do need to start thinking about where the baby is going to sleep, but that can wait a few days. Right now, I want you to breathe. I know you and your brain is spinning faster than you can keep up. Just take a deep breath and then another. It is all going to be okay. Babies don't need much. Just a place to sleep, clean nappies, a few outfits and lots of love. Mum can help you figure all of this. We can start working on your lists tonight. You are not going to be a horrible mum. You love to deeply and care too much for that to happen. We are in this together. Being parents is a team effort and we are an awesome team. I know you, forgetting the baby is not going to happen. I won't be surprised if you talk George in to coming up with a baby detection charm, just in case. I have it on good authority, that babies are pretty durable and don't break easily. If Harry can keep from breaking his baby, then I think we are okay. Breathe, love. I know this is scary. We will figure it out. I love you. Be sides, who says you killed the plant. It could have been all of George's horrible coffee that killed it. The only way I could get a decent cup of coffee was to water that plant with it so I could make a new pot. Breath …

Always,

Ron

My precious surprise,

Please forgive your Mum for being a little slow in realizing you were on the way. This is my first time around as a mum and I might have missed a few things. I can't wait to meet you. Your dad and I have lots of things to done before you get here, so please be patient. I never knew I could love someone this much before I have even meet them. I am going to make mistakes. As much as that scares me, your dad tells me that all parents make mistakes. There will be limits and there will be expectations. Don't let them scare you. You are just a tiny little thing nestled in my tummy. Stay there for as long as you need to. Don't be in a hurry to get here. The world will still be waiting for you. Your dad and I aren't agreeing on a couple of things right now, but don't worry. Just because we don't agree on things doesn't mean we won't figure out a way to make everything work. Your mum is a planner. Your dad loves surprises. It will all work out in the end. I love you, little one

Love and wishes,

Mum

Hello little one,

Just because you don't like what Mum ate for dinner is no reason to make her run for the loo. She loves you and only wants the best for you. I can't wait to meet you. I am working on a few surprises for your mum because she worries. The first present is an extendable ear that listens for your heart beat. I know you are too small for that right now, but you will big enough soon enough. The others you (and your mum) will have to wait for. Your Uncle George will want to help once he knows you are on your way. We will have to keep an eye on him. Things tend to blow up if he tinkers with them too much. I want your mum to be the first to hear your heartbeat. Your Uncle Harry says a baby's heartbeat sounds like humming bird wings. I guess I will have to wait a little longer to see. When you get bigger, you are going to want to stretch and move. Please keep your mum in mind. She is stretching a growing to give you space to grow, but there is only so much stretching she can do. I can't wait to feel you kick and roll. Your mum, not quite as much. Take your time growing. We will be here for you when the time is right. I love you, little one.

Always,

Dad

My darling husband,

Please stop. 'Chase the Hand' is fun for you and the baby but my belly was not made to be a football field. It has gotten to the point that the baby starts kicking at the same time every night. If you are not home in time, I have to figure out how to play and I, apparently, am not as entertain as me. You also need to have your eye sight check. Last night you called me your beautiful, brilliant witch. First of all, I am not beautiful. I am as big as a whale and I waddle like a duck when I try to go anywhere. I thought about calling a crane to help me get off of the couch the other night. Secondly, pregnancy hormones have scrambled my brain. I forgot the combination to my safe at the office yesterday and had to ask Theo to open it for me. I cannot keep thought is my head for more than a few minutes, and the brief I wrote on additional improvements to House Elf conditions laws was so bad I had to get Harry to help me rewrite it. Harry should not every help anyone write anything. Are you sure I am still capable of raising a child. I'm not. I worry. I love you,

Always,

Hermione

My beautiful wife,

I will not stop playing 'Chase the Hand' with the baby because it lets me touch your smooth skin and kiss your beautiful bally belly. I am sorry I have set an expectation of play time with the baby and I will try to do better about getting home on time. I do not need to have my eyesight checked. I see you perfectly fine. You are not the size of a beached whale; you are just the size of a small house (OUCH … I felt you hit me as I wrote that ... I am trying to make you laugh). How could you not be beautiful? You are growing our child in that cute belly of yours. You do not waddle like a duck and you are not heavy enough to need a crane to lift you off the couch. I have been working out. I can lift you anytime you don't feel like walking. I promise you are still brilliant. YOU are just tired. Your brain will recover and you will find out that Harry is not as bad about writing as you think he is. How do you think I survived Professor McGonagall's essays. Harry is great at editing and suggesting changes. You are definitely still capable of raising a child. I can think of no other witch I would want to raise this baby with. I love you.

Forever yours,

Ron

Hey baby,

Tomorrow is the big day. After months of waiting, we finally get to meet you. Your room is ready and everyone is anxious to meet you. Gram and Papa, Nanny and Pops, all your aunts and uncles. You are so loved and you are not even here yet. Your room is ready. We are so ready to hold you and kiss you and welcome you to this amazing family. We love you, little one

Until tomorrow,

Mum and Dad

My little spark,

Please treat your Mum well. She was not quite ready to find out you were on the way to join us. You and I are both on her naughty list right now. Don't worry. She will get over it soon and, I promise, she loves you already. Your sister is going to be excited when you get here and your mum will be excited when she is no longer rushing for the loo every morning. I am going to tell you the same things it told your sister - be nice to Mum, she loves you. Don't be in a hurry to get here, there is a reason it is a nine-month journey. Be considerate, your mum will stretch and grow along with you but she can only stretch so far. I love you. Uncle George has been banned for making baby products this time around. Soon you will be big enough for us to use the Baby Hear Ear to hear your heartbeat. Don't worry about the sounds you hear. Your mum and I have already started talking to you and will will always talk to you. Stay safe and warm, little one. YOu will get to meet us soon enough.

Always,

Dad

My unexpected little one,

I guess you are my reminder that life never goes as we plan. I wasn't quite ready to be a mum again, but as your dad said the other day, life is more special when we embrace the surprises it has for us. I will try not to worry so much this time. I know you are safe and warm and growing. That is the way things need to be. Your sister will be curious about you before you get here and I am sure she will chatter to you as you grow. Your dad and I are looking forward to watching you grow. Dad will want to play "Chase the Hand". At least don't accommodate him to often. It was your sister's favorite game and my belly can only take so many football kicks from the inside. I can't wait to feel you move, but there are areas that are out of bonds for kicking. Don't be in a hurry to get here. We will be waiting when the time is right. I love you, little one.

Love and wishes,

Mum

Hey little man,

Don't ever scare us like that again. Timelines are important and you should never be in that big of a hurry. Your early arrival caused some panic and stress. Your mum thought we had another three weeks before you got here. We were working on your room when you decided to change the schedule. We are so glad you are here in our arms. You are so tiny but so strong. Listen to your mum next time. Don't rush. We are keeping you to ourselves tonight. The Healer says you need a little time to grow stronger before we go home. Tomorrow will be soon enough to meet little miss Prickle Pants and the rest of the family.

We love you,

Mum and Dad

 _ **Book 10: Fading Away**_

Mione,

You are never going to believe what George and Hugo did today. They blew up the lab … with glitter. Yes, I said, glitter. Hugo was working on his first adaptation of the Glitter Bomb. Hugo got a couple of letters mixed up and the nest thing you know, George, Hugo and the lab were covered in glitter. Hugo looked like a disco ball and George spent an hour cleaning glitter out of all his crack and crannies … I really don't want to think about that. How are you doing? I hope Charlie and Pansy are treating you well. I know you like to go watch the dragons fly over the mountains. How is the wedding dress planning going? I know you ladies want to keep the design a secret but gold is coming from my vault. I'm sure it will be perfect. I am sending you a picture of Hugo, George, and the lab. I laugh every time I see it. But, I am so proud of him. Hugo kept at it and now he has his first item on the store shelves, Baby Bombs - glitter bombs that are safe for little ones on New Year's Eve. George was so impressed with Hugo, that he has set his retirement date. We have a retirement party to plan as soon as you get back. I miss you, my love. Save the dragons and come home to me.

Bring my sunshine home,

Ron

My darling Ron,

Charlie's' dragons are beautiful but I can't wait to be home. Pansy and Rose have designed a beautiful gown and they have left you a few galleons in the vault. I can't wait to plan George's retirement party. He has been talking about retiring for years. I cannot believe how covered they were in glitter. Are you still finding glitter in the lab? I laughed until I cried when I saw the picture. George looks like a sheepdog shaking out his fur. How did you catch the glitter cloud like that? The Dragon Law amendments are almost done. I am just waiting on local approval and then I can bring them back to the Ministry. I am ready to be home for a while. We have two weddings and a retirement to plan. I have lists to make and future daughter-in-law to get to know better. Save a Baby Bomb prototype for me. I need a new paperweight for my desk. I miss you, my heart.

Always,

Hermione

My love,

I am worried about you. You keep forgetting things, even when you write them down. Your lists keep getting longer but your memory keeps getting shorter. Please go see the Healer. I know you are scared but we need answers. I can't make you go and I can't keep the worry away. Last night, you scared me more. I woke up to an empty bed and could not find you. It took 15 minutes of following a trial of papers and quills to find you sitting in the garden. It was cold and you only had on your nightgown and slippers. You were calling for Hugo and Rose to come in for dinner. It was 3 am. I have made you an appointment with the memory care Healer at St. Mungos. I am going to tell you we are going to lunch but I have an errand to run first. Please forgive me. I love you too much to let this go on longer.

For Always,

Ron

My dearest,

You seem to be moving slower these days. I have seen you rubbing your chest over your heart when you think I am not looking. What is going on. I know I don't remember things as well as I used to. Have you been to the Healer? What did she say? Did you tell me? Did I forget to write something down? I hate this. I feel like I am half a witch these days. I know I am missing things. I miss you most when you are not here. Can you stay home with me? I know Hugo is doing most of the day to day stuff and he has great people to help him. Is it time for you to … what's the word … I know this word … where you don't go to work every day anymore … you get a party and something shiny … we threw George a party when he did it … what is that word? I hate this. I feel so lost. I feel like I am fading away and nobody has noticed. Please come home.

Always,

Hermione

My love,

I am never going to send this letter to you. The children will find it when they read the final bundles in the memory trunks we have created. I am sick. My heart is breaking and there is nothing the Healers can do to fix it. I will not be with you much longer. I need to finish a few tasks and then I am going to get our new home ready. I love you so much. I don't want to leave. The only people who know how sick I am are the Healers who are treating me. I have loved you since we were First Years at Hogwarts and I will love you until the end of all time. Try to remember me a little longer, my love. Love is never a curse, my treasure, it is always an adventure worth living. Thank you for this amazing adventure.

Forever and always yours,

Ron

My darling Ronald,

I know you are hiding something from me. You haven't come home from the lab in days. Hugo wants me to stay with him. But, I need to stay at home in case you come back. Besides, there is this strange woman and two noisy children that stay with him. That is not right. Hugo is too young to have other people live with him. He should live at home with us. Rose is being bad too. She had a young man drop her off at the house yesterday and she kissed him. She is too young to be dating. I need you to come home and talk to the children. They are not listening to me. Yesterday, Hugo said you had gone to make our new home ready for me. Why are we moving? I don't want to leave our cottage. All my memories are here. I have started charming papers to go into a bundle at the bottom of my Hogwarts trunk. I don't know why I am doing it, but it feels like what I am supposed to do. I'm fading without you. My heart. Where are you? I miss you. Please come home. I love you. Please come home.

Always,

Mione


End file.
